‘Devastated’: Sacramento church, site of murder-suicide that left 5 dead, asks for prayers
Members of the Sacramento-area church where a father shot and killed his three daughters and a church elder before turning the gun on himself Monday, are shattered by the tragedy, leaders said in a statement.
“Our church body is devastated and heartbroken by this senseless tragedy,” leaders at The Church in Sacramento said in the remarks released Tuesday evening, calling for continued prayers for the victims and their families.
A 39-year-old father, identified as David Mora, was at the church on Wyda Way in Arden Arcade to meet his three girls — ages 9, 10 and 13 — on a supervised visit. He turned a gun on the girls, their chaperone, then himself. The family were parishioners, church officials said in the statement.
The three girls attended Natomas Unified School District schools. Two of the girls went to Bannon Creek School. The other attended Leroy Greene Academy, said district spokeswoman Deidra Powell.
“The leadership is shocked and saddened by the tragic shooting that occurred in our church meeting hall, resulting in the deaths of five of our members, including three young girls from one of our families,” officials said, adding that they continue to work with law enforcement investigating the murder-suicide.
The girls’ mother was out of town, but had a restraining order against their father first filed in May 2021. Court records show Mora was arrested five days earlier for assaulting a police officer and had been ordered to attend anger management courses.
This story was originally published March 1, 2022 at 6:39 PM.
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