Los Angeles authorities opened a murder probe Sunday into the death of Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell, who was found gunned down in his home Saturday afternoon.
The county sheriff’s office did not provide any more details into the Hacienda Heights slaying of the 69-year-old prominent local Catholic priest.
O’Connell, a native of Ireland, was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedic after he had been shot in the upper torso around 1 p.m.
“It’s very early in the investigation,” LASD Homicide Bureau Detective Michael Modica said, according CBS News. “We got a lot more steps we have to take to make more determination to what’s happening.”
LA Archbishop José Gomez said, “We learned early this morning from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s office that they have determined that the death of Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell yesterday was a homicide.”
The church is “deeply disturbed and saddened by this news,” Gomez said.
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O’Connell was involved in helping immigrants in California. He lived in California for 45 years and was known as a community “peacemaker.”
Police have yet to name a suspect and do not know the motive.