BISHOP David Gerard O’Connell, originally from Co. Cork, was shot dead on Saturday in Los Angeles. Bishop O’Connell was the auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. He was known widely as “the peacemaker” because of his community work in deprived areas of the city.
The L.A. County Sheriff’s Department issued a brief statement: “This incident is being handled as a murder investigation,” it said.
The statement continued: “Deputies responded to a medical emergency on the 1500 block of Janlu Avenue in Hacienda Heights and found the bishop suffering from a gunshot wound.
“Paramedics arrived and pronounced him dead at the scene.”
A statement from the archdiocese said: “We learned early this morning from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s office that they have determined that the death of Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell yesterday was a homicide. 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.”
The news outlet, AngelusNews.com added: “In a statement issued Sunday, the bishop of O’Connell’s home diocese expressed ‘sympathies and prayerful support to the O’Connell family in Cork, to Archbishop José H. Gomez and the people, priests and religious of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.’”
“The news of the tragic death of Bishop David O’Connell in Los Angeles has sent shockwaves across his native Diocese of Cork and Ross,” said Bishop Fintan Gavin of Cork and Ross.
“We will pray for Bishop David at Mass throughout the Diocese of Cork and Ross in the coming days asking the Lord to comfort his family, his colleagues and all the bereaved,” said the bishop. “Bishop David worked tirelessly for peace and harmony in communities; may he now rest in the peace of the Lord.”
