Man indicted on 98 charges including hate crimes for 2022 shooting at Taiwanese church in California
Also: Nevada Man Charged with Federal Hate Crimes for Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church Shooting (U.S. Department of Justice)
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Source: Associated Press
Man indicted on 98 charges including hate crimes for 2022 shooting at Taiwanese church in California
By AMY TAXIN and CHRISTOPHER WEBER
May 11, 2023
SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — A man accused of fatally shooting one person and wounding five others at a Southern California church luncheon last year has been charged with dozens of federal hate crimes in connection with the attack, which investigators said was motivated by political hatred of Taiwan.
The indictment announced Thursday by the U.S. Department of Justice charges David Chou, of Las Vegas, with 98 counts including weapons and explosives charges and forcefully obstructing the free exercise of religion.
Messages seeking comment from attorneys who have represented Chou, 69, in a separate case in state court were not immediately returned.
Authorities said Chou chained and nailed shut exit doors before launching the attack on a gathering of older parishioners from the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods on May 15, 2022.
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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/california-taiwanese-church-shooting-hate-crimes-329f9a41283ff019607c6cffc436b820
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Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs
Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 11, 2023
Nevada Man Charged with Federal Hate Crimes for Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church Shooting
A Nevada man has been charged with 98 counts of federal hate crimes and weapons and explosives offenses, including the murder of one person and attempted murder of 44 others, for his actions during the shooting and attempted bombing at the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church on May 15, 2022.
David Chou, 69, of Las Vegas, killed one person and attempted to kill 44 others using firearms and explosive devices that he carried inside the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church in Southern California, according to the indictment returned Wednesday by a federal grand jury in Santa Ana, California. In addition to the victim who Chou fatally shot, five others were injured by gunfire. Chou allegedly acted because of the victims’ national origin and religion, and he intentionally obstructed the victims’ religious exercise.
Specifically, the indictment charges Chou with 98 violations of federal law:
• 45 counts of obstructing free exercise of religious beliefs by force, which resulted in the death of one person, included attempts to kill 44 others, and involved the use of a firearm and attempted use of explosives and fire;
• 45 counts of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act by attacking the church congregants because of their actual or perceived Taiwanese national origin and Presbyterian faith;
• One count of attempting to damage or destroy a building used in interstate commerce by means of fire and explosives;
• One count of carrying explosives during the commission of a federal felony offense; and
• Six counts of using a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence.
If convicted, Chou faces a maximum penalty of death or life in prison without parole. He is currently in state custody pending state criminal charges.
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Read more: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/nevada-man-charged-federal-hate-crimes-irvine-taiwanese-presbyterian-church-shooting