The unexpected news of the shooting death of Bishop David O'Connell on February 18 in Los Angeles shook the community. Immediately after, people made memorials outside his house and began paying their respects.
For the Archdiocese of L.A., Bishop O'Connell was more than a spiritual father, he was a friend.
"Bishop Dave was a man for all people, sort of like St. Paul. We hear St. Paul being all things for all people and he had a way of receiving people who were in their most vulnerable and neediest moments. But simultaneously was a community leader. He worked with city council. He worked with the police department, with the sheriff's department, was involved in a lot of civil movements as well," said Father Jonathon Meyer.