A man has been arrested in connection with the shooting death of a Catholic bishop David O’Connell of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, who was killed in his home over the weekend, the LA County Sheriff’s Department said.
O’Connell, who was renowned for his work as a community “peacemaker,” was found dead in his home in the Hacienda Heights neighborhood Saturday in what is being investigated as a homicide, CNN reported, citing a statement from the sheriff’s department.
Deputies found O’Connell after responding to an emergency call shortly before 1 p.m., Deputy Lizette Falcon told the network.
A law enforcement official said Bishop O’Connell was found dead in his bed with one gunshot wound, according to the report. He lived alone in a home owned by the archdiocese.
Neighbors said they didn’t hear any gunshots or other unusual sounds before the emergency services arrived.
Several members of law enforcement said no signs of forced entry has been found and that the killing isn’t thought to be random, the network reported.
The Archbishop of Los Angeles, Reverend José Gomez, said in a statement that “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.”
“We are deeply disturbed and saddened by this news,” Gomez said.
Bishop O’Connell was “an active member of our Conference and a champion for the poor and marginalized,” the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops said in a statement, adding that he chaired the Southern California immigration Task Force, coordinating the church’s response to the spike in migrants coming from Central America.
A press conference where the authorities will share further details on the arrest and the suspect has been scheduled for 3 pm local time (6 pm ET).
