Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop David G. O’Connell was tragically shot and killed in his home

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has confirmed that the death of Auxiliary Bishop David G. O’Connell is being investigated as a homicide. Bishop O’Connell, a native of Ireland, was shot and killed in his home in Hacienda Heights, a neighborhood east of LA, on February 18. In a statement released on February 19, Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles expressed his deep sadness at the news, adding that parishioners at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels were also given an update during Sunday Mass.

The Sheriff’s department revealed in a news release that deputies had responded to a medical emergency at Bishop O’Connell’s residence and found the bishop suffering from a gunshot wound. Paramedics arrived at the scene but pronounced him dead. The department is treating the case as a murder investigation and has urged anyone with information to contact the homicide bureau.

Archbishop Gomez remembered Bishop O’Connell as a man of deep prayer who had a great love for the Virgin Mary, the patron saint of Ireland. He was a peacemaker who cared for the poor and the immigrant and was passionate about building a community where the sanctity and dignity of every human life was honored and protected. The Archbishop said that he and Bishop O’Connell had just celebrated the annual Mass for the Sick together a week earlier on February 11. The Archbishop recalled the Bishop’s sense of humor and his beautiful devotion to Our Blessed Mother, adding that he will be missed greatly.

The death of Bishop O’Connell has been a shock to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the Catholic community. Archbishop Gomez asked for prayers for the Bishop and his family in Ireland and for law enforcement officials as they continue their investigation into the terrible crime.

The Archbishop expressed his condolences and prayed for Bishop O’Connell, saying, “May Our Lady of Guadalupe enfold him in the mantle of her love, and may the angels lead him into paradise, and may he rest in peace.” Bishop O’Connell’s passing also prompted expressions of sympathy from his homeland, Ireland, where he often visited loved ones.

In a statement released on February 19, Bishop Fintan Gavin of Cork and Ross conveyed his “sympathies and prayerful support to the O’Connell family in Cork, to Archbishop José H. Gomez and the people, priests and religious of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.” Bishop Gavin acknowledged that news of Bishop O’Connell’s tragic death in Los Angeles had caused shockwaves in his native Diocese of Cork and Ross. He added that they would pray for Bishop David at Mass throughout the Diocese of Cork and Ross in the coming days and ask the Lord to comfort his family, colleagues, and all those who are grieving. Bishop Gavin praised Bishop O’Connell’s tireless work for peace and harmony in communities and prayed that he would now rest in peace.

Bishop O’Connell was born in Brooklodge, Glanmire in County Cork, the largest county in Ireland, in 1953. He studied for the priesthood at All Hallows College in Dublin and was ordained in 1979 to serve in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. After his ordination, he served as associate pastor and later pastor at several parishes in south Los Angeles, where he ministered to a community plagued by gang violence, poverty, and broken families. He also worked to restore trust between the inner-city residents and law enforcement, organizing meetings with police officers in people’s homes and providing opportunities for dialogue and reconciliation.

Bishop O’Connell’s time as auxiliary bishop in Los Angeles saw him prioritize evangelization, pastoral care for immigrants, and ensuring the future of the region’s Catholic schools. He was the chairman of the Southern California Immigration Task Force and was recognized for his tireless service to the community and the church in Los Angeles with the Evangelii Gaudium Award from St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo. At the national level, he was serving as chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Subcommittee on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.

Despite his numerous achievements, Bishop O’Connell was known for his unassuming demeanor and down-to-earth personality. He spoke about the love of Jesus with his Irish brogue and felt most at ease with the people he had spent years ministering to in south L.A. In 2015, he expressed how much it had been a privilege and a blessing to be a pastor in that area and how the people had touched his heart with their sincerity. Sheriff Robert Luna confirmed Bishop O’Connell’s murder on Sunday, expressing his department’s commitment to bringing those responsible for the crime to justice.