Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell Shot and Killed in California

In the aftermath of a shooting, a local Catholic priest was killed. Los Angeles County, CaliforniaAccording to the sheriff’s department, Saturday.

David O’Connell (the Auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese Los Angeles) was killed in an incident at Hacienda Height, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

The shooting took place in the 1500 block Janlu Avenue at approximately 1 p.m. 

Deputies were called to the scene and discovered O’Connell with a gunshot wound in his chest. At the scene, O’Connell was declared dead. 

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According to the sheriff’s office, a Catholic priest was killed and shot in Los Angeles County, California on Saturday. (Sarah Reingewirtz/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)

O’Connell was Shot in his homeAccording to deputies, it was. This incident remains under investigation.

“It’s very early in the investigation,” According to KCAL, detective Michael Modica from the sheriff’s office Homicide Bureau said. “We got a lot more steps we have to take to make more determination to what’s happening.”

Investigators did not provide any suspect information. 

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David O’Connell was the Auxiliary Bishop in the Archdiocese Los Angeles. He was shot and killed at Hacienda Heights. (Robert Gauthier/ Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Pope Francis in 2015 proclaimed O’Connell as Auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese Los Angeles.

For more than 45 years, he served the Los Angeles region. O’Connell also served as Episcopal Vicar in the San Gabriel Pastoral Region.

Archbishop José H. Gomez announced the news During Mass Saturday 

Bishop David O’Connell was discovered with a gunshot wound on the chest. (Sarah Reingewirtz/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)

“Our beloved Auxiliary Bishop David O’Conell has passed away unexpectedly,” He stated. “It’s a shock and I have no words to express my sadness. As a priest and later a bishop here in Los Angeles for forty-five years, Bishop Dave was a man of deep prayer who had a great love for Our Blessed Mother. He was a peacemaker with a heart for the poor and the immigrant, and he had a passion for building a community where the sanctity and dignity of every human life was honored and protected.”

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“He was also a good friend, and I will miss him greatly. I know we all will,” Gomez continued. “Please join me in praying for Bishop Dave and for his family in Ireland.  May Our Lady of Guadalupe wrap him in the mantle of her love, and may the angels lead him into paradise, and may he rest in peace.”