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Man killed in California church shooting called a hero

California Church Shooting
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LAGUNA WOODS, CA — Authorities say the man killed trying to stop a gunman at a Southern California church may have saved dozens of lives.

Dr. John Cheng was shot after tackling David Chou on Sunday at a Taiwanese church in Orange County.

California Church Shooting
A photo of Dr. John Cheng, a 52-year-old victim who was killed in Sunday's shooting at Geneva Presbyterian Church, is displayed outside his office in Aliso Viejo, Calif., Monday, May 16, 2022. Authorities say a Chinese-born gunman was motivated by hatred against Taiwan when he chained shut the doors of the church and hid firebombs before shooting at a gathering of mainly of elderly Taiwanese parishioners. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Chou was then subdued by elderly parishioners.

Five people were wounded.

Authorities say Chou had driven to the church from Las Vegas and was motivated by hatred against Taiwan.

He was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday on charges of murder and attempted murder.

It was not immediately clear whether Chou had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

Tensions between China and Taiwan are at the highest in decades, with Beijing stepping up its military harassment of the self-governing island.