One person was killed and four others were critically injured after a gunman opened fire inside a Southern California church on Sunday, the authorities said.
The gunman was detained outside the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, Calif., said Carrie Braun, a spokeswoman for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. A motive for the shooting was not immediately clear, she said.
Four of the victims were in critical condition, she said, and another victim was being treated for minor injuries. The person who was killed was found inside the church by the authorities, she said. Ms. Braun did not share additional details about the victims.
“My understanding is this all occurred inside the church building,” Ms. Braun said. “We’re trying to figure out what kind of a service was going on at the time.”
The department said that officials had recovered a weapon that might have been involved in the shooting, which was reported at 1:26 p.m. local time. The city of Laguna Woods, which was incorporated in 1999, is about 50 miles southeast of Los Angeles.
Officials with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department said at a news conference that there was a large number of Taiwanese congregants inside the church, but did not say whether they were the targets of the attack.
Cynthia Conners, the mayor pro tem in Laguna Woods, said on Sunday that she is a member of the church and had attended services that morning. She said that a Taiwanese congregation shares the church space and “are more likely to be on that campus later in the day.”
Ms. Conners said she left the church at about noon, and the Taiwanese members usually leave a bit later in the afternoon.
Charlotte Hsieh, the organist for the church, said she left the church at around noon after services were complete. “We’re keeping our fingers crossed for the safety of the congregation,” she said.
Ms. Hsieh said the church is in a peaceful retirement community in a safe neighborhood.
“I could not even imagine something like this could happen here,” she said. “I’m just as shocked as anybody.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said on Twitter that it was helping with the investigation.
The governor’s office in California said on Twitter that “no one should have to fear going to their place of worship.”
“Our thoughts are with the victims, community, and all those impacted by this tragic event,” the office said.
Katie Porter, the Democratic member of Congress who represents Orange County, described the news as disturbing, especially given the shooting in Buffalo, N.Y., on Saturday. “This should not be our new normal,” Ms. Porter said.
Vimal Patel and Livia Albeck-Ripka contributed reporting.