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FORMOSAN ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS: Outrage at violence targeted at our Taiwanese American community for our identity, condemns hate crime and domestic terrorism of radicalized groups
A gunman killed one person and wounded five others at a Taiwanese luncheon in a Laguna Woods church on Sunday, May 15.
The 100 or so members of the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church, most of whom are senior citizens, were holding a banquet in the church at the time of the shooting to honor a former pastor visiting from Taiwan.
A man in his 60s entered the room and began shooting, killing one person and wounding five others ages 66 to 92 before church members disarmed him and hogtied him with an electric cord.
Orange County Sheriff’s Office identified the man as David Chou of Las Vegas, and announced he was motivated by political hatred between himself and the Taiwanese community. “It is believed the suspect was upset about political tensions between China and Taiwan.”
Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) President Dr. Minze Chien states: “FAPA is a Taiwanese American organization that promotes freedom, human rights, and democracy for the people of Taiwan. We are shocked and horrified at this horrendous shooting. Our organization and the collective Taiwanese American community join the families of the victims in grief and we pray for the speedy recovery of the wounded survivors.”
“Clearly, the gunman acted out of hate stemming from radicalized political beliefs. He intended to kill and massacre innocent Taiwanese Americans simply based on our identity.”
“We strongly condemn this act of cowardice in the strongest terms possible. We, therefore, urge the authorities to prosecute this heinous crime as a politically motivated hate crime, and label any groups he was affiliated with as domestic terrorists.”
Dr. Chien adds: “FAPA has worked for 40 years to ensure democracy and freedom of political expression is protected in Taiwan and for the Taiwanese people. We will not let one man’s act of violence destroy that.”
Dr. Chien concludes: “Differences in political views and opinions should never lead to violence – let alone murder!”
source fapa