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PERMISSION IS GIVEN BY JIM WAGNER TO COPY & DISTRIBUTE THIS REPORT FOR NON COMMERCIAL USE ONLY
LAGUNA WOODS CHURCH SHOOTING
BASED ON OPEN-SOURCE INTELLIGENCE (OSINT) AS OF MAY 25, 2022 A.D. • COMPILED & ANALYZED BY JIM WAGNER
DATE & TIME: May 15, 2022 at 1:25 p.m.
LOCATION: Geneva Presbyterian Church (Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church) at 24301 El Toro Road in Laguna Woods, California, USA
TYPE OF ATTACK: Church shooting with mass casualties.
SUSPECT: David Wenei Chou, 68 years old, born in Taiwan in 1953, US citizen, resident of Las Vegas. His wife left him last year (who has cancer), and in February he was evicted from the apartment building that he owned in Las Vegas. Licensed armed private security guard through the State of Nevada.
MOTIVE: Believed to be “politically motivated” due to tensions between China and Taiwan (based upon some handwritten notes found, and his diary that he had sent, which arrived at a Chinese language newspaper a couple days after the attack).
WEAPONS USED: 2 legally purchased and registered 9mm pistols. WEAPONS UNUSED: Four Molotov cocktail-like devices, extra ammunition in three bags, and a fixed blade steak knife.
INJURIES: 1 dead (Dr. John Cheng 52 years old), 5 injured (four men ages 66, 92, 82, 75 and one woman 86).
SITUATION: After the Sunday church service there was a scheduled luncheon to celebrate their former pastor’s visit from Taiwan – Pastor Billy Chang (he lead the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church for 21 years). Some witnesses saw the suspect, who didn’t attend the church, carrying a Mandarin Chinese newspaper and “acting strangely” while mingling. Another witness stated that Chou was wearing a shirt with the word "SECURITY" on it. When the approximately 40 attendees (most of whom were Taiwanese Americans, and over 60 years old) had finished lunch, and were taking photos on a stage in the social hall with Pastor Chang, several shots rang out.
RED ACTION: According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, suspect David Chou, who worked as a security guard in Las Vegas, had prepared for the attack by chaining and nailing some doors shut and placing super glue into the locks. Chou, without saying a word, opened fired upon “center mass” of the crowd with one of the 9mm pistols. After the shooting EMTs had to make forced entry on a door that Chou had sealed. Two days after the shooting, on May 17th, Chou, held without bond, appeared before a judge remotely and he was charged with murder, five counts of attempted murder, and four counts of possessing destructive devices with intent to kill or harm. There is a possiblity that Chou could have planned on a murder-suicide "mission" since he also barricaded himself in the building, and had "Molotov-like" incindiary devices to burn the church down.
BLUE ACTION: There was no church security present during the attack. During the “active shooting” Dr. John Cheng (Medical Doctor, sports medicine, martial arts instructor, with pistol training) charged at the suspect to disarm him, and during the attempt was fatally shot. As Chou was reloading, after firing "nine to ten bullets," Pastor Billy Chang picked up a chair and threw it at the gunman, which knocked him to the floor. In the process of the counterattack Chou had dropped his weapon, and it was on the floor within reach of the gunman. Pastor Chang said to Voice of America (VOA) in an interview five days later (May 20, 2022), "When I turned my head and looked to my right, about 10 steps away, there was a man I didn't recognize. He was dressed like a security guard. It was later confirmed that he was a licensed security officer, so he had equipment. He was wearing tactical gear like someone escorting an armored car." While Chou was on the ground Pastor Chang ran over to him and pinned him to the ground and yelled out, "Hurry up, come and help me hold him!" Three parishioners helped subdue Chou and bound him with an electric extension cord. Pastor Chang's wife, Yu Ling, came up to the dog pile and removed the gun so Chou could not grab it. "Later, they [the police] said he also had a gun strapped to his leg," according to Pastor Chang. Sheriff Barnes, commenting on Dr. Cheng’s (the one who initially rushed the gunman) heroic action, stated that it was “literally the meeting of good vs. evil.” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer stated, “He sacrificed himself so others could live.” A Security Operations student of mine, who is a patient at the medical clinic where Dr. John Cheng practiced, told me that Dr. Cheng was a member at Artemis Defense Institute (www.artemishq.com), which is a firearms facility that blends live-fire training with indoor video simulation training. Dr. John Cheng, who is believed to have a Conceal Carry Weapon (CCW) permit in the State of California, but was not carrying a firearm at the time of the attack. When the shooting occured, those not shot, fighting, or assisting with the arrest & control, "were on the ground, hiding under tables, and some of them were trying to escape," according to Pastor Billy Chang.
JIM WAGNER’S COMMENTARY: There was no church security team (unarmed or armed) present during the event. Ideally, every church event, especially those with large numbers, should have at least one trained undercover church security agent (preferably armed) and one church usher trained in tactical observation, both linked with radio communications. Every pastor, church staff member, parking lot attendant, greeter, usher, and church security officer (for those who have a security person or team, unarmed or armed) needs to know who is officially part of the security apparatus. Just as terrorists in the past have dressed like police officers or soldiers to fool people during an attack around the world, so too anyone can put on a security shirt or uniform and pose as a church security officer.
If suspicious activity or person is observed, then church security is to be notified immediately (to assess the situation), and if there is no church security agent present the police are then called immediately, which should have happened prior to this incident since some of the attendees were suspicious of Chou before the attack. In addition, there was no security personnel to observe Chou with three bags, when he moved from the parking lot to the building. A source told me that the incendiary devices, that were in a bag, were placed in a bathroom inside the building. There was nobody that conducted a bag search. No bags or backpacks should EVER be brought into an event without searching them. Many churches shy away from bag searches stating that it “intimidates” members and visitors. The murderer worked as a security guard in Las Vegas, and as such he assessed the security profile of his target, which in this case was none. Somehow Chou was able to barricade some doors without suspicion. Since he was wearing a security uniform prior to the attack, this would explain why "securing" doors may not have appeared to suspicious to the attendees. If an official usher (with basic security training) or a church security agent, had been one present, they would have known that Chou was not part of their security team and immediately called the police and then approached Chou.
Dr. John Cheng, trained in the martial arts since childhood, and was an instructor in the Seven Stars Praying Mantis system. He had owned a network of kung-fu schools in Orange county, but closed all but one to spend more time with his family and medical practice. During the shooting Dr. Cheng attempted to use his unarmed combat skills against the suspect, who was armed with two firearms, which resulted in his murder. The general rule to gun disarms is IF YOU CAN TOUCH THE GUN, YOU CAN TAKE THE GUN. Obviously, the opposite holds true, IF YOU CANNOT TOUCH THE GUN, YOU CANNOT TAKE THE GUN without getting shot or killed (provided the firearm is loaded and good working condition) Nonetheless, Dr. Cheng is a hero, and his actions created a pause in conflict that resulted in other heroes subduing Chou. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we need to pray for Dr. Cheng's family, and for his mother who he had dropped off for the luncheon. She was on the stage taking photos with Pastor Billy Chang at the time her son was shot. Imagine her grief being present when her son was killed. Imagine all of their grief. Dr. Cheng is now a martyr in the presence of God. We also need to pray for those wounded during the attack. Finally, pray for the gunman, David Chou, that he will give his heart over to Jesus Christ, least his soul be forever separated from God. It' not easy, but it's what God tells us to do. But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, Matthew 5:44 Pastor Billy Chang is not only a hero (for throwing a chair, pinning the gunman down, and giving commands to others to help him subdue Chou), but he's the Biblical example of a good shepherd, The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. John 10:11 He not only fought spiritually for his former flock, but physically as well. As a result of this incident, some churches that were thinking about forming and training a church security team are taking steps in that direction as the global violence increases, while others still believe that having a church security team means not “trusting in God,” yet these same churches lock the church doors at night to prevent burglaries and vandalism. That is hypocrisy. Many churches that do have a security team (and the level of professionalism varies from church to church) do very little, if any, consistent realistic hands-on training. They are very good at providing training on Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), situational awareness, and If you see something, say something, but they lack hand-to-hand combat (pre-conflict, conflict, and post-conflict techniques and tactics), SWAT, Executive Protection, anti-terrorism and counterterrorism (small arms attacks and weapons of mass destruction), countersniper, countersurveillance, and tactical medic training. Sadly, all of these fiedcrafts must be studied and mastered today by "Christian Soldiers" to provide an adequate response to the increasing physical violence agaist God's people. In the case of the Laguna Woods church shooting, hand-to-hand combat and arrest & control, was applied, and law enforcement arrived after the incident had taken place. Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon. Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me. Nehemiah 4:17-18
LOCATION: Geneva Presbyterian Church (Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church) at 24301 El Toro Road in Laguna Woods, California, USA
TYPE OF ATTACK: Church shooting with mass casualties.
SUSPECT: David Wenei Chou, 68 years old, born in Taiwan in 1953, US citizen, resident of Las Vegas. His wife left him last year (who has cancer), and in February he was evicted from the apartment building that he owned in Las Vegas. Licensed armed private security guard through the State of Nevada.
MOTIVE: Believed to be “politically motivated” due to tensions between China and Taiwan (based upon some handwritten notes found, and his diary that he had sent, which arrived at a Chinese language newspaper a couple days after the attack).
WEAPONS USED: 2 legally purchased and registered 9mm pistols. WEAPONS UNUSED: Four Molotov cocktail-like devices, extra ammunition in three bags, and a fixed blade steak knife.
INJURIES: 1 dead (Dr. John Cheng 52 years old), 5 injured (four men ages 66, 92, 82, 75 and one woman 86).
SITUATION: After the Sunday church service there was a scheduled luncheon to celebrate their former pastor’s visit from Taiwan – Pastor Billy Chang (he lead the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church for 21 years). Some witnesses saw the suspect, who didn’t attend the church, carrying a Mandarin Chinese newspaper and “acting strangely” while mingling. Another witness stated that Chou was wearing a shirt with the word "SECURITY" on it. When the approximately 40 attendees (most of whom were Taiwanese Americans, and over 60 years old) had finished lunch, and were taking photos on a stage in the social hall with Pastor Chang, several shots rang out.
RED ACTION: According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, suspect David Chou, who worked as a security guard in Las Vegas, had prepared for the attack by chaining and nailing some doors shut and placing super glue into the locks. Chou, without saying a word, opened fired upon “center mass” of the crowd with one of the 9mm pistols. After the shooting EMTs had to make forced entry on a door that Chou had sealed. Two days after the shooting, on May 17th, Chou, held without bond, appeared before a judge remotely and he was charged with murder, five counts of attempted murder, and four counts of possessing destructive devices with intent to kill or harm. There is a possiblity that Chou could have planned on a murder-suicide "mission" since he also barricaded himself in the building, and had "Molotov-like" incindiary devices to burn the church down.
BLUE ACTION: There was no church security present during the attack. During the “active shooting” Dr. John Cheng (Medical Doctor, sports medicine, martial arts instructor, with pistol training) charged at the suspect to disarm him, and during the attempt was fatally shot. As Chou was reloading, after firing "nine to ten bullets," Pastor Billy Chang picked up a chair and threw it at the gunman, which knocked him to the floor. In the process of the counterattack Chou had dropped his weapon, and it was on the floor within reach of the gunman. Pastor Chang said to Voice of America (VOA) in an interview five days later (May 20, 2022), "When I turned my head and looked to my right, about 10 steps away, there was a man I didn't recognize. He was dressed like a security guard. It was later confirmed that he was a licensed security officer, so he had equipment. He was wearing tactical gear like someone escorting an armored car." While Chou was on the ground Pastor Chang ran over to him and pinned him to the ground and yelled out, "Hurry up, come and help me hold him!" Three parishioners helped subdue Chou and bound him with an electric extension cord. Pastor Chang's wife, Yu Ling, came up to the dog pile and removed the gun so Chou could not grab it. "Later, they [the police] said he also had a gun strapped to his leg," according to Pastor Chang. Sheriff Barnes, commenting on Dr. Cheng’s (the one who initially rushed the gunman) heroic action, stated that it was “literally the meeting of good vs. evil.” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer stated, “He sacrificed himself so others could live.” A Security Operations student of mine, who is a patient at the medical clinic where Dr. John Cheng practiced, told me that Dr. Cheng was a member at Artemis Defense Institute (www.artemishq.com), which is a firearms facility that blends live-fire training with indoor video simulation training. Dr. John Cheng, who is believed to have a Conceal Carry Weapon (CCW) permit in the State of California, but was not carrying a firearm at the time of the attack. When the shooting occured, those not shot, fighting, or assisting with the arrest & control, "were on the ground, hiding under tables, and some of them were trying to escape," according to Pastor Billy Chang.
JIM WAGNER’S COMMENTARY: There was no church security team (unarmed or armed) present during the event. Ideally, every church event, especially those with large numbers, should have at least one trained undercover church security agent (preferably armed) and one church usher trained in tactical observation, both linked with radio communications. Every pastor, church staff member, parking lot attendant, greeter, usher, and church security officer (for those who have a security person or team, unarmed or armed) needs to know who is officially part of the security apparatus. Just as terrorists in the past have dressed like police officers or soldiers to fool people during an attack around the world, so too anyone can put on a security shirt or uniform and pose as a church security officer.
If suspicious activity or person is observed, then church security is to be notified immediately (to assess the situation), and if there is no church security agent present the police are then called immediately, which should have happened prior to this incident since some of the attendees were suspicious of Chou before the attack. In addition, there was no security personnel to observe Chou with three bags, when he moved from the parking lot to the building. A source told me that the incendiary devices, that were in a bag, were placed in a bathroom inside the building. There was nobody that conducted a bag search. No bags or backpacks should EVER be brought into an event without searching them. Many churches shy away from bag searches stating that it “intimidates” members and visitors. The murderer worked as a security guard in Las Vegas, and as such he assessed the security profile of his target, which in this case was none. Somehow Chou was able to barricade some doors without suspicion. Since he was wearing a security uniform prior to the attack, this would explain why "securing" doors may not have appeared to suspicious to the attendees. If an official usher (with basic security training) or a church security agent, had been one present, they would have known that Chou was not part of their security team and immediately called the police and then approached Chou.
Dr. John Cheng, trained in the martial arts since childhood, and was an instructor in the Seven Stars Praying Mantis system. He had owned a network of kung-fu schools in Orange county, but closed all but one to spend more time with his family and medical practice. During the shooting Dr. Cheng attempted to use his unarmed combat skills against the suspect, who was armed with two firearms, which resulted in his murder. The general rule to gun disarms is IF YOU CAN TOUCH THE GUN, YOU CAN TAKE THE GUN. Obviously, the opposite holds true, IF YOU CANNOT TOUCH THE GUN, YOU CANNOT TAKE THE GUN without getting shot or killed (provided the firearm is loaded and good working condition) Nonetheless, Dr. Cheng is a hero, and his actions created a pause in conflict that resulted in other heroes subduing Chou. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we need to pray for Dr. Cheng's family, and for his mother who he had dropped off for the luncheon. She was on the stage taking photos with Pastor Billy Chang at the time her son was shot. Imagine her grief being present when her son was killed. Imagine all of their grief. Dr. Cheng is now a martyr in the presence of God. We also need to pray for those wounded during the attack. Finally, pray for the gunman, David Chou, that he will give his heart over to Jesus Christ, least his soul be forever separated from God. It' not easy, but it's what God tells us to do. But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, Matthew 5:44 Pastor Billy Chang is not only a hero (for throwing a chair, pinning the gunman down, and giving commands to others to help him subdue Chou), but he's the Biblical example of a good shepherd, The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. John 10:11 He not only fought spiritually for his former flock, but physically as well. As a result of this incident, some churches that were thinking about forming and training a church security team are taking steps in that direction as the global violence increases, while others still believe that having a church security team means not “trusting in God,” yet these same churches lock the church doors at night to prevent burglaries and vandalism. That is hypocrisy. Many churches that do have a security team (and the level of professionalism varies from church to church) do very little, if any, consistent realistic hands-on training. They are very good at providing training on Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), situational awareness, and If you see something, say something, but they lack hand-to-hand combat (pre-conflict, conflict, and post-conflict techniques and tactics), SWAT, Executive Protection, anti-terrorism and counterterrorism (small arms attacks and weapons of mass destruction), countersniper, countersurveillance, and tactical medic training. Sadly, all of these fiedcrafts must be studied and mastered today by "Christian Soldiers" to provide an adequate response to the increasing physical violence agaist God's people. In the case of the Laguna Woods church shooting, hand-to-hand combat and arrest & control, was applied, and law enforcement arrived after the incident had taken place. Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon. Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me. Nehemiah 4:17-18