Hacienda Heights, Los Angeles County, CA: The Los Angeles County Coroner arrived at a home in Hacienda Heights just before 4:00 a.m. Sunday, to remove the body of Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell who was found fatally shot at the location on Saturday.

The body of the bishop was transported to the coroner’s office for further examination.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies responding to the scene on Saturday, Feb. 18, just before 1:00 p.m. found O’Connell suffering from a fatal gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at a home on the 1500 block of Janlu Avenue, near Turnbull Canyon Road.

LASD has determined the death of O’Connell is a homicide. The department stated early Sunday mornng on Facebook, “We can only imagine how the community is suffering because of this senseless murder. Bishop O’Connell was a guiding light for so many, and his legacy will continue to live on through the community that he helped build.
Please know that you are not alone in your grief and that @lasdhq is here to support you. Our thoughts and prayers are with you, and we are working diligently to seek those responsible.”

0’Connell was vicar for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ San Gabriel Pastoral Region at the time of his death, a post he held since 2015 when Pope Francis appointed him as an auxiliary bishop for the Los Angeles Archdiocese.

Candles were placed on the street corner as a memorial for O’Connell, not far from the home where he was found fatally shot.

City News Service contributed to this report.

Michael Ullo, Video Journalist / KNN 

© 2023 Key News Network