Update: What we know about deadly rampage at Sacramento-area church shooting that left 5 dead
A father shot and killed his three children and another person before turning the gun on himself in a Sacramento-area church Monday night. Here’s what we know:
What happened?
A gunman opened fire in a Sacramento-area church Monday killing his three children, another person and then himself during a supervised visit with his daughters, authorities said.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said the gunman killed the adult before killing his three daughters just after 5 p.m. A church employee heard gunshots while working away from the shooting and called 911 after running out of the building.
The shooting was over in a matter of minutes, before deputies and other personnel from multiple agencies arrived.
Where did the shooting happen?
The shooting took place inside The Church in Sacramento, near Arden Fair mall just east of the Sacramento city limits in the 2000 block of Wyda Way in Arden Arcade.
The Church is nondenominational and part of a fellowship of 2,000 local churches globally, its website, which shut down at around 9 p.m. Monday, said.
A neighbor of The Church described the house of worship as a nexus of the neighborhood. Sandi Davis said The Church offers help to people in the neighborhood, including people who are not members of the church.
The Church, which has been in operation since 1975, has services in English, Spanish and Mandarin.
What do we know about the victims?
The girls — identified by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office as Samia, 13; Samantha, whose 11th birthday would have been Wednesday; and Samarah, 9 — were students in the Natomas Unified School District.
They were at the church for a supervised visit with their father, the shooter. The girls were students of Bannon Creek School and Leroy Greene Academy charter school, according to the Natomas Unified School District.
The family of the girls has set up a GoFundMe account to help with funeral expenses.
“It is with deep sadness that we share with you news of the tragic deaths,” the district said in a message to parents. “There are very few words that can give comfort right now for this unspeakable tragedy. ... We will have our Social-Emotional Support Team and Chaplains from the Sacramento Police Department available at those two schools this morning to provide grief counseling and support. This support extends to anyone in the district who may need it.”
Authorities said the gunman also shot and killed Nathaniel Kong, a family friend tasked with supervising the visit.
The mother, who was out of town at the time, was not at the church at the time of the shooting. She traveled to Sacramento after being contacted by authorities.
Court documents show that a five-year domestic violence restraining order against the father was issued in May. It ordered him to stay at least 100 yards away from her and their daughters except for supervised visits of up to four hours.
What do we know about the shooter?
The shooter was a 39-year-old man and the father of the three children. He had a temporary restraining order against him from his estranged girlfriend, Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones said. That temporary restraining order should have prevented him from having a firearm, according to a domestic violence expert.
David Mora, who is also identified in documents as David Fidel Mora-Rojas, was arrested last week in Merced County on charges of resisting arrest, battery on a police officer and driving under the influence after he assaulted a Los Banos California Highway Patrol officer, authorities said.
According to a law enforcement source, the man did not have a criminal history in Sacramento County, and his connection to the church was not known.
He had been ordered by a judge to attend anger management courses and was accused of “mental instability” by his estranged girlfriend, according to court documents and a law enforcement source.
Mora was arrested Feb. 23, five days before the shooting, posted bail and was released after spending one night in jail, authorities said.
What are elected leaders saying?
California officials called the shooting a “senseless act of gun violence” and an “unspeakable tragedy.” The common thread: They said this is “yet another” fatal act of violence that happens “too often.”
Resources for your children and family
Following the shooting, parents, teachers and guardians may wonder how they can approach this news with their young kids.
Dr. Arrickia McDaniel, clinical director of Strive Community Health, said that there are common factors that indicate a child may need professional counseling to process grief. It includes:
- Socially withdrawn
- Lack of participation in previous interests
- Decrease in academic performance
- Isolation
- Poor hygiene
- Irregular sleeping patterns
- Lack/increase of appetite
- Nightmares
- Inappropriate behaviors
- Unusually temperamental
Sacramento has a wide range of resources for children and family members who need mental health support due to loss, grief, domestic violence and trauma.
Sacramento county has a list of counseling programs for all ages, therapy services dedicated to helping the Black and African American community; NAMI Sacramento has a catalog of support groups and counseling resources.
Those in the county can also submit a mental health request form to connect to an appropriate health provider.
Other resources for mental health support include:
- 24/7 source support line for youth and caregivers - (916) 787-7678
- Sacramento 24/7 suicide prevention hotline - (916) 368-3111 or (800) 273-8255
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - (800) 273-8255
This story was originally published March 1, 2022 at 9:47 AM with the headline "Update: What we know about deadly rampage at Sacramento-area church shooting that left 5 dead."