One killed, five injured in shooting at US church

Multiple persons have been shot at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, Southern California, US.

Victims of the shooting have been taken to the hospital, with one person reported to have died at the scene.

The Orange County sheriff department, California, said one person has been detained in connection with the shooting.

In a post on its Twitter page, the department said: “Deputies are responding to reports of a shooting at a church on the 24000 block of El Toro Road in Laguna Woods. Multiple victims have been shot.

“We have detained one person and have recovered a weapon that may be involved.

“We are working to get information out as quickly as possible. We ask for patience as this event unfolds

“Dispatch received call of a shooting inside Geneva Presbyterian Church at 1:26pm. Four victims have been critically wounded, one with minor injuries. All victims are adults and are enroute to the hospital. One victim is deceased at the scene.”

The shooting takes place 24 hours after Payton Gendron, an 18-year-old Caucasian male, shot dead 10 people in a black neighbourhood in New York. 

Three others were wounded in the attack described as “racially motivated”. 

Gun violence was the leading cause of death among children and adolescents in the US in 2020, according to a report from the University of Michigan.