California church shooting: Father kills 3 daughters and elder

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – A father killed his three daughters and a church elder before turning his gun on himself inside a church in Sacramento, California on Monday, the NY Post reports.

An elder at The Church in Sacramento on Wyda Way, Nathaniel Kong, 59, was killed while supervising a visitation between troubled father David Mora Rojas, 39, and his three children Samarah Mora Gutierrez, 9; Samantha Mora Gutierrez, 10; and Samia Mora Gutierrez, 13, the Post said. Kong and the three girls were shot dead when Rojas opened fire with an AR-15-style rifle, Sacramento County Coroner’s Office and Sheriff’s officials said in a statement.

Rojas was under a court order to take anger management classes and had an order of protection filed against him by his former girlfriend, Illeanna Gutierrez Rios, the Post reports. Both Rojas and Rios had become members of the church, but Rojas suffered mental health and financial issues which the church was trying to help with.

Concerning Rojas’ circumstances prior to the shooting, church member Joseph Wang told the Post: “I know the father was under so much stress to make ends meet, and I think that’s when the friction between the couple started happening. He just couldn’t find a stable job, so he asked Kong for help,” Wang told the Post. “Kong had sat with him and the children many, many times before but we don’t know why the dad suddenly became angry,” Wang said.

In regard to Kong’s efforts to help the family, Wang said: “Kong was so giving. It’s so hard for me to say more. He served (the church) full-time, dedicated his whole life to people. We are devastated.”

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