A person accused of killing one particular person and injuring 5 others in a 2022 taking pictures at a church in California's Orange County has been indicted by a grand jury on federal expenses, together with these alleging hate crimes and obstruction of free train of spiritual beliefs.
The 98-count indictment in opposition to David Wenwei Chou, accused of opening fireplace on the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods on Might 15, 2022, was filed on Wednesday in US District Court docket in California's central district.
Chou, now 69, "allegedly acted due to the victims' nationwide origin and faith, and he deliberately obstructed the victims' non secular train," the US Justice Division mentioned.
Chou arrived at a church lunch banquet, tried to lock the doorways from the within with chains and tremendous glue after which opened fireplace at aged churchgoers, officers have mentioned.
Chou additionally had a bag of Molotov cocktails and a bag of additional ammunition, in line with authorities.
Dr John Cheng, a household and sports activities drugs doctor there along with his not too long ago widowed mom, charged on the man and was fatally shot.
His efforts precipitated the gun to jam, authorities mentioned.
Cheng, 52, was pronounced useless on the church, and authorities praised him as a hero for stopping additional bloodshed.
4 males aged 66, 75, 82 and 92 and an 86-year-old girl have been injured.
A pastor struck the gunman with a chair, and others hogtied the person and took at the least two handguns from him, officers mentioned.
The federal indictment expenses Chou with 45 counts of obstructing free train of spiritual beliefs by pressure; 45 counts of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act; six counts of utilizing a firearm in the course of the fee of a criminal offense of violence; a rely of making an attempt to break or destroy a constructing utilized in interstate commerce by the use of fireplace and explosives; and a rely of carrying explosives in the course of the fee of a federal felony offense.
CNN has sought remark from Chou's lawyer, Jennifer Ryan.
If Chou is convicted on the federal expenses, he would face the demise penalty or obtain a sentence of life in jail with out the opportunity of parole, in line with the Justice Division.
Chou already was being held in state custody awaiting trial on state prison expenses, the Justice Division mentioned.
He was charged final yr in state courtroom with counts together with felony homicide and premeditated tried homicide.
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