It's Monday. The latest on Sunday's deadly shooting at a church in Orange County. Plus, a new state park in the San Joaquin Valley. |
 | | A gunman was detained at the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods after a shooting on Sunday, officials said. The suspect was described as an Asian man in his 60s.Mark Abramson for The New York Times |
|
Amid a nationwide explosion in gun violence that shows few signs of easing, a gunman opened fire inside an Orange County church on Sunday and killed one person and critically injured four others. |
And in many places, including Los Angeles, those trends have not yet reversed. That has raised concerns about what will happen over the next few months, as homicides typically increase in the summer in the United States. |
"June, July, August are always the biggest shooting months," said Christopher Herrmann, an assistant professor in the department of law and police science at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. |
The Laguna Woods shooting took place just before 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, as a largely Taiwanese congregation gathered for a lunch banquet at Geneva Presbyterian Church after a service, law enforcement officials said. Thirty to 40 people were there. |
One man died on the scene, four were critically injured and another person sustained minor injuries, said Jeff Hallock, Orange County undersheriff. But there probably would have been far more devastation if churchgoers had not fought back, he said. |
Hallock said that before the police arrived, congregants had already subdued the attacker, believed to be an Asian man in his 60s. They tied his legs together with an extension cord and confiscated two handguns from him, he said. |
The churchgoers displayed "exceptional heroism and bravery," Hallock said at a news conference Sunday afternoon. "They undoubtedly prevented additional injuries and fatalities." |
Hallock said it was unclear whether those wounded were those who had stepped in. He said officials were still interviewing the dozens of witnesses. The shooter's motive also remains unknown, he added. |
In a series of text messages on Sunday, the Rev. Albany Lee, who presides over the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church, which is housed on the campus of the Geneva Presbyterian Church, told The Times that congregants said the gunman "was a new face" and no one recognized him. |
Lee added that the person who restrained the gunman was a pastor who led the services on Sunday. |
That pastor, who was not injured, had "subdued the shooter before he loaded another round of bullets," he said. "Thank God," he added. |
Charlotte Hsieh, the organist for the church, told The Times that she left at around noon after services were complete. The church is in a retirement community in a safe neighborhood, she said. |
"I could not even imagine something like this could happen here," she said. "I'm just as shocked as anybody." |
"No one should have to fear going to their place of worship," the governor said. "Our thoughts are with the victims, community, and all those impacted by this tragic event." |
If you read one story, make it this |
 | | Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to sprinkle cash across the state, including giving rebates to nearly all Californians.Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press |
|
■ Huge budget surplus: California expects a record $97.5 billion surplus, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday, as he proposed a $300.6 billion state budget that also was a historic mark. |
■ Desalination plant: State officials rejected a proposal for a $1.4 billion desalination plant in Huntington Beach, The Associated Press reports. |
■ Oil spill: The Houston-based owner of an oil pipeline that spilled thousands of barrels of crude oil onto Santa Barbara beaches in 2015 will pay a $230 million settlement, The Associated Press reports. |
■ College debt paid: The Snapchat co-founder Evan Spiegel and his wife, Miranda Kerr, will pay off the college debts of 284 graduates of Otis College of Art and Design, The Los Angeles Times reports. |
■ New state park: California will acquire Dos Rios Ranch, a former farm property, in the San Joaquin Valley to create a new state park for the first time in 13 years, The Associated Press reports. |
■ Pacific Flyway: This year's meager rice crop will leave a lot of migratory birds without a habitat and a critical food source, The Sacramento Bee reports. |
■ Oakland Athletics: The baseball team's once-loyal fans appear to have given up. |
■ Arsonists: Four people have been arrested on suspicion of starting dozens of small fires last weekend in Contra Costa County, The Los Angeles Times reports. |
 | | A homemade raspberry jam, ready in 10 minutes, balances the salty layers of this mellow, comforting breakfast sandwich.Andrew Purcell for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Carrie Purcell. |
|
Today's tip comes from Agi Dyer, who recommends hiking in the Santa Susana Mountains north of Los Angeles: |
"I live in the San Fernando Valley and there are probably 20 mountain trails within half an hour of my house. One of the closest is called Rocky Peak. Fifteen minutes into the trail you have a beautiful view of Simi Valley and the entire San Fernando Valley. |
Needless to say, the trail is quite rocky. It was raining one night and I lost my dog in that park earlier in the day, so we went back to find her after having searched for four hours earlier. We were exhausted and it was raining. We were hiking in the dark to find our dear dog. We were hiking from 9 p.m. to midnight in the rain with headlamps searching for her. It was raining so hard that the rain was making streams out of the trail and you could hear the waterfalls pouring out of the rocks to the left and to the right of us. Because it has few plants, just lots of rocks, the water sounded magnificent. The good news is we found our dog at the head of the trail when we got back and we experienced Rocky Peak Trail in a way that most people don't. It's magnificent. You can hike for hours and hours." |
Tell us about your favorite places to visit in California. Email your suggestions to CAtoday@nytimes.com. We'll be sharing more in upcoming editions of the newsletter. |
What do you want to know about California's June primary election? Email us your questions at CAToday@nytimes.com. |
 | | Lavender stalk visited by a bee in Kenwood. Lavender is a native California plant that is drought resistant and is attractive to bees and humans.Peter DaSilva for The New York Times |
|
And before you go, some good news |
The first plants in a "healing garden" were dug into the ground last week at City of Hope's new oncology center in Irvine. |
The plants were chosen because they are either native to California or, in the case of peppermint and lavender, have possible medicinal benefits, reports The Orange County Register. The species were also selected so that something in the garden would always be in bloom. |
Patients and families who visit will be able to sit in the shade and "appreciate the beauty, appreciate the quiet," said Annette Walker, City of Hope Orange County president. |
Thanks for starting your week with me. I'll be back tomorrow. — Soumya |
Mariel Wamsley and Jaevon Williams contributed to California Today. You can reach the team at CAtoday@nytimes.com. |
|
No comments:
Post a Comment