Accused OC Church Shooter's Heritage Questioned, Raising Concerns

LAGUNA WOODS, CA — The gunman charged with opening fire on a largely Taiwanese congregation Sunday was born and raised in Taiwan, not China, as authorities previously reported, according to new information released by the Orange County Sheriff's Department Tuesday.

David Wenwei Chou, 68, of Las Vegas, was charged in connection with the shooting Sunday at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods that killed one man and injured four other people, a crime that officials attributed to hatred of Taiwan.

Chou was charged with capital murder — meaning he would be eligible for the death penalty if convicted — as well as five counts of attempted murder and four counts of possession of an explosive device on Tuesday.

RELATED: OC Church Shooting: Man Charged With Capital Murder, 9 Other Counts

All the victims of the shooting were Taiwanese Americans; Chou was initially described as Chinese American by the Orange County Sheriff's Department in a news conference Monday.

"The information regarding his nationality was provided to [the department] during interviews with people familiar with the suspect, while communicating through interpreters," according to an update written by the department. "While later speaking with the suspect, he indicated he was born and raised in Taiwan."

It was not immediately clear if the sheriff's update would delay the hate crime investigation.

Sheriff's department spokesperson Carrie Braun told Patch that the department is working diligently to share the most current updated information on the incident with the Orange County community.

The charges against Chou by the Orange County District Attorney's office will remain the same, spokesperson Kimberly Edds told Patch.

His place of birth "doesn't really matter to our investigation, actually, because our understanding is his family was from mainland China and at some point was forcibly removed and moved to Taiwan," Edds said. "The other charges are so overwhelming, that it's kind of immaterial."

Investigators found a note in Chou's car in the church parking lot that suggested his animosity toward Taiwan, Sheriff Don Barnes said in a Monday news conference.

RELATED: Mass Honors Heroic Doctor Who Died In Laguna Woods Church Shooting

"As the investigation continues, and we gather additional information, we're sharing that information in real time," Braun said. "Regardless of where he was born and raised, that doesn't change what was written in the note."

Spitzer said in a news conference Tuesday that it appeared Chou's family was forced to move from China to Taiwan and that Chou complained he was treated poorly as an outsider over the years.

Investigators have multiple translators going over the note to interpret it correctly, Spitzer said.

RELATED: OC Church Shooting Motivated By 'Hatred,' Explosives Found

The incident is currently being investigated as a possible hate crime by the FBI, Spitzer said.

"While there's very strong evidence right now that this was motivated by hate, we want to make sure we have put together all the evidence that confirms that theory in the case," Spitzer told ABC 7.