A man has been arrested in connection with the killing of a Catholic bishop who was found shot dead at his Los Angeles home over the weekend.
Sheriff’s deputies responded to Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell’s Hacienda Heights on Saturday afternoon, where they found the minister in his bed with a gunshot wound to the torso. The 69-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.
The following day MPs officially said they were investigating O’Connell’s death as a homicide before announcing on Monday they had made an arrest.
Authorities told NBC 4 Los Angeles the man was identified by an “unnamed technical means” early in the investigation and arrested without incident – although a reporter at the scene said the man barricaded himself in his home overnight.
The suspect’s name has not yet been released, but neighbors have identified the suspect as Carlos Medina, whose wife worked for the bishop.
A press conference on the arrest is expected at 3 p.m. local time.
A man has been arrested in connection with the shooting of Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell (pictured) over the weekend
A reporter at the scene said the suspect barricaded himself in his home overnight
Los Angeles Daily News reporter Clare Harter said the suspect barricaded himself inside his home, with a neighbor reporting that sheriff’s deputies first arrived at midnight, but the suspect didn’t show up until 9 a.m.
A neighbor, Luis Lopez, said the suspect’s name was Carlos Medina and that his wife worked for Bishop O’Connell, and another told Harter the suspect was a “strange man” in his 50s who was out at all hours of the night awake was digging in his yard.
“I’m just shocked and overwhelmed,” Marty Hernandez told the reporter. “You wouldn’t know you had someone living next door to your house who would do something like that.”
His wife’s whereabouts are unknown.
Deputies had received a call reporting that a person at the address was not breathing, reports the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.
The Los Angeles Times reported that O’Connell was found dead in his bed, with law enforcement sources saying there was no sign of a forced entry into his Janlu Avenue home, which is owned by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
It is not yet clear whether a firearm was found at the scene.
The death of the auxiliary bishop was first announced by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which called O’Connell a “peacemaker” and a man of “deep prayer” who has cared for all during his 45 years in the Church.
“He was a peacemaker with a heart for the poor and immigrants, and he had a passion for building a community where the sanctity and dignity of every human life is honored and protected,” Gomez said in a statement.
“He was also a good friend and I will miss him dearly. I know we all will.
“Please pray with me for Bishop Dave and his family in Ireland. May Our Lady of Guadalupe wrap him in the mantle of her love and may the angels take him to paradise and may he rest in peace.’
Before becoming Archbishop, O’Connell served as an associate pastor in several Los Angeles congregations. He is pictured here in June 2016
The Auxiliary Bishop is remembered as a good-hearted man with a heavy Irish accent and a great sense of humour
Los Angeles Sheriff’s Deputies have now arrested a man in connection with O’Connell’s death. A forensic investigator is seen here leaving the bishop’s home in Hacienda Heights on Sunday
Following the announcement, community members gathered outside O’Connell’s home, where some were seen crossing themselves as the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department continued their investigation.
Mourners clutched their rosaries and candles as they took turns singing the Hail Mary and reciting the Lord’s Prayer, according to the Valley Tribune.
Many were shocked by the news, and several residents of the LA suburb, where more than 80 percent of residents are either Hispanic or Asian, wondered who would kill such a notable figure.
“I was devastated when I heard that,” said Donna Marie, a local resident. “Everyone’s kind of shocked right now because that’s not happening here.”
Jose Alvarez agreed, saying: “When I first heard the news I thought he was having a heart attack. I’m shocked it was through a gunshot.’
He said the auxiliary bishop was a man of the people. “The bishops are usually unavailable,” Alvarez explained. “Often they’re kind of hidden in an office, but he was just in the parish preaching a healing mass.”
Johnny Flores also told ABC 7: It broke me and I was afraid to tell my wife because my wife loved him so much.
Mourners who gathered outside the archbishop’s home on Saturday said he had a gift for healing. He is pictured here in 2016 giving a blessing to Cheryl Bertola
Ramona Torres brings flowers and a framed message to pay her respects to Bishop David O’Connell near his home in Hacienda Heights on Sunday
Rev. Albert Avenido, left, and Sacristan Hector Ibarra led members of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Covina, California, at a prayer vigil for Bishop David O’Connell near his home
Votive candles and messages were left outside the bishop’s residence after his death
The bishop was remembered over the weekend as a kindhearted man with a heavy Irish accent and a great sense of humor.
Glendy Perez said he was “a humble soul”.
“He wasn’t the type who wouldn’t have a confrontation with anyone,” she said. “He was very loving and had a gift of healing.
“If you attended his ceremonies, it was like a gift of healing.”
Father Albert Avenido of Sacred Heart Church also came to the scene on Saturday night to pray the Holy Rosary and comfort the mourners.
He is now working with other Catholic leaders to organize a special memorial service for O’Connell.
But in the meantime, Alvarez believes people will continue to show up outside the bishop’s home.
“He was a very powerful man,” Alvarez explained. “You could see it in his personality — not just because you see him kneeling in prayer — you know he’s a powerful man because you can see it in his life.”
Meanwhile, Janice Hahn, Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, tweeted, “I was deeply saddened to learn of Bishop O’Connell’s passing. He was a longtime friend.
“I’ve been fortunate to work with him during my time on the city council and again as a supervisor,” she continued. “I join Archbishop Gomez and the people of Los Angeles in mourning his loss.”
And the US Conference of Catholic Bishops tweeted: “We join @ArchbishopGomez in mourning the sudden loss of one of our bishops.
“Bishop O’Connell was an active member of our conference and a champion of the poor and marginalized.”
The popular cleric was born in Ireland and was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles by Pope Francis in 2015. The cleric, a prominent figure in the Hacienda Heights, was hailed as a “peacemaker” by residents of the predominantly Hispanic community
Neighbors and parishioners prayed the rosary outside his home on Sunday
MPs were called to O’Connell’s home on Saturday afternoon after receiving a report that a man was not breathing
O’Connell was born in Ireland in 1953 and was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles by Pope Francis in 2015.
He studied at All Hallows College, Dublin and was ordained to the Archdiocese in 1979, first as an assistant pastor in several parishes before becoming archbishop.
O’Connell also served as chair of the Southern California interdiocesan immigration task force and helped coordinate the church’s response to immigrant families from Central America.
Last September, St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo honored O’Connell with the Evangelii Gaudium Award for years of service to the community and church in the Los Angeles area.
And nationally, O’Connell has served as chair of the subcommittee on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.
He recently volunteered to lead Ash Wednesday Mass next week at Sacred Heart Catholic School.
“You can imagine how busy the bishops are on Ash Wednesday and he offered to celebrate Mass in our school,” Father Avenido said.
“We were all so excited.”