Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop David O'Connell, remembered as a "peacemaker," was shot to death around 1 p.
m. on Saturday.
The L.A. County Sheriff's Department stated in a brief statement that they are treating this incident as a murder investigation and that there is currently no more information available.
When responding to a medical emergency around the 1500 block of Janlu Ave in Hacienda, sheriff's deputies discovered the body of O'Connell, aged 69.
At the scene, paramedics declared him dead due to a gunshot wound, according to sheriff's officials.
Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles expressed his deep concern and sorrow in a statement released Sunday. We are deeply disturbed and saddened by this news. Let us continue to pray for Bishop Dave and his family. And let us pray for law enforcement officials as they continue their investigation into this terrible crime.
Gomez described O'Connell as a peacemaker with a heart for the poor and the immigrant, and he had a passion for building a community where the sanctity and dignity of every human life was honored and protected. He was also a good friend, and I will miss him greatly. I know we all will.
Saturday night, roughly a dozen people congregated at the corner of Janlu and Los Robles avenues while holding candles. They were gathered by police tape, reciting the rosary.
Rowland Heights's Jonny Flores, who was familiar with O'Connell from rallies, remarked that the bishop was always keen to lend his assistance, no matter how small the demand from a parishioner.
He didnt hold back his words. He was well spoken. He would take the time. He was very humble. He was never too busy.
In 2015 Pope Francis appointed O'Connell, born in 1953 in County Cork, Ireland, as an auxiliary bishop for the archdiocese. His vocation was studied at All Hallows College in Dublin and he was ordained to serve the archdiocese in 1979.
Following his ordination, he was assigned to a number of parishes in L.A., including St. Frances X. Cabrini, Ascension, St. Eugene, and St. Michael's. He was also the chairman of the interdiocesan Southern California Immigration Task Force, aiding in the organization of the Catholic Church's assistance for Central American children and families. Furthermore, he was instrumental in helping several young immigrants enroll in Catholic schools, several of whom have gone on to pursue higher education.
O'Connell was the pastor of St. Frances X. Cabrini in South Los Angeles for 14 years and then moved to Ascension. According to the Times, this meant managing two congregations with around 4,000 families each, as well as two schools with a total of 500 students from kindergarten to eighth grade.
The Times reported, Both neighborhoods are very poor and bogged down by issues of survival, and so are the duties of their priest. O'Connell spends a lot of time encouraging his parishioners to speak up for themselves to fight for new stop signs and safer playgrounds, to demand that politicians keep their promises.
The Catholic News Agency reported that O'Connell became known in the wake of the 1992 riots, which came about as a result of the exoneration of the police officers who had brutally beaten Rodney King. It was also noted that the future bishop played a crucial role in attempting to reestablish mutual trust between law enforcement and the residents of South Los Angeles.
OConnell was quoted at the time saying, Right away, we said that our churches were open for people, if they had taken stuff, to bring it back. People brought things back, and we tried to give them to the stores which they had come from.
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