Doctor Killed In Laguna Woods Church Shooting Lauded As A 'Hero'

LAGUNA WOODS, CA — A local doctor killed in a shooting at a Laguna Woods church on Sunday was called a hero for trying to stop the gunman.

Dr. John Cheng, 52, of Laguna Niguel, died after charging at a gunman who shot at churchgoers at Geneva Presbyterian Church during an afternoon lunch reception.

Cheng tackled the gunman and attempted to disarm him, and he was fatally shot in the process, Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes said.

Barnes praised Cheng for his "heroic actions," saying they allowed other parishioners at the church to grab the gunman, disarm him and detain him until deputies arrived. Five people were wounded in the shooting.

"Dr. Cheng is a hero in this incident," Barnes said. "Without the actions of Dr. Cheng, it is no doubt there'd be numerous additional victims in this crime."

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Cheng ran the South Coast Medical Group, a sports medicine practice in Aliso Viejo. He leaves behind a wife and two children.

Cheng was certified in family and sports medicine, according to the medical group's website. He was the son of a doctor and an "accomplished martial arts instructor," the site said.

Cheng grew up in Texas and studied medicine at the Texas School of Medicine before doing his residency at the University of California, Los Angeles.

He was known for his long-lasting relationships with patients, the website said.

"His relationships with his patients continue through the years due to his ability to relate well with people from many backgrounds," the site said.

Barnes said Cheng was a "beloved member of his community."

Cheng did not regularly attend services at the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church, which worships at Geneva Presbyterian on Sundays, the Los Angeles Times reported.

He was at the lunch reception with his mother because the event was honoring a longtime pastor, Billy Chang, who had returned from a missionary trip in Taiwan.

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David Chou, 68, of Las Vegas, was charged with several felony counts in the shooting, according to the sheriff's department.

Chou, a Chinese-born U.S. citizen, was motivated to commit the shooting over what authorities described as a grievance with the "Taiwanese community at large."

Chou was charged with one felony count of murder and five felony counts of attempted murder. He is being held at Central Men's Jail on $1 million bail.