A beloved Catholic bishop was shot and killed in Los Angeles on Saturday.
A report from KABC-TV found that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department determined the death of Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell occurred shortly before 1 p.m.
The Bishop was discovered with a gunshot wound in the upper part of his chest and was determined dead at the scene. LAPD has identified the death as “suspicious.”
“This incident is being handled as a murder investigation. There is no additional information available at this time,” the department said, per the Los Angeles Times.
“Father V,” a Twitter user whose bio states, “I am a Catholic man and a priest,” created a post on Twitter honoring the late David O’Connell, noting that he is well-known for his charitable work, pro-life activism, and uncompromising faith.
“May this faithful servant of Christ rest in eternal peace with Him,” Father V wrote.
Praying for the repose of the soul of Los Angeles auxiliary bishop, the Most Reverend David O’Connell, who was shot and killed yesterday. The bishop was noted for his work among the poor and disadvantaged, his pro-life activism, and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. May this… https://t.co/Ypz9MOzYEo pic.twitter.com/cBTLzewTTq
— Father V (@father_rmv) February 19, 2023
According to The Washington Post, the sheriff’s department put out a statement on the matter, saying, “We can only imagine how the community is suffering because of this senseless murder.”
Archbishop José H. Gomez commented that O’Connell’s passing was “a shock and I have no words to express my sadness,” per KABC.
“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 were honored and protected,” Gomez said.
In California, the death of a Catholic bishop is under investigation after he was found shot to death in his Los Angeles-area home. Parishioners gathered outside Bishop David O'Connell's home on Saturday, looking for answers. He was 69 years old. #SundayTODAY pic.twitter.com/bU1YiSKBCI
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) February 19, 2023
Gomez added, “He was also a good friend, and I will miss him greatly. I know we all will. 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.”
A vigil honoring the late bishop was held on Saturday.
I’m in Hacienda Heights where Bishop David O'Connell, the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, was shot to death earlier today. Parishioners gather at the scene of the crime to mourn and pray for their beloved leader pic.twitter.com/455uda1ZqD
— Clara Harter (@_ClaraHarter) February 19, 2023
Parishioner Glendy Perez reportedly stated O’Connell “was a humble soul.”
“He was not the type that would have confrontations with nobody. He was very loving… When you would attend his ceremonies, it was like a gift of healing.”
O’Connell, who was born in Ireland in 1953, began his service for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in 1979.
