I Am Safe and Not Injured in Recent Mass Shooting
@DeborahDiane (40066)
Laguna Woods, California
May 15, 2022 5:18pm CST
As many of my friends around the world know, I live in Laguna Woods, California and those of you who read the national and international news are about to hear about a mass shooting at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, California. That church is just two blocks from my home. I have friends who attend there, and I have gone to services at that church, as well as several meetings.
However, my husband and I attend Laguna Presbyterian Church, in Laguna Beach, California, which is about 4 miles away. We were NOT at Geneva Presbyterian Church during the shooting. We have not yet heard who was shot, or if we know any of them. We have heard that one person was killed, four were critically injured, and at least one person received minor injuries.
This morning, I drove right past Geneva Presbyterian on my way to Laguna Presbyterian to pick up the church flowers after the service and take them to a sick member of our church. I returned home just minutes before the shooting at Geneva Presbyterian.
My husband and I are saddened and a bit upset over this mass shooting, within a short walk of our home.
I just wanted everyone to know that my husband and I are safe, before you hear about the shooting on the news and wondered about me.
I've attached a photo of the church I attend in Laguna Beach.
32 people like this
32 responses
@DeborahDiane (40066)
• Laguna Woods, California
16 May 22
@CarolDM - Thank you, Carol. It was a Taiwanese congregation that meets at the church after the regular service. One of my neighbors is Taiwanese and I have not seen her since it happened. I am waiting to hear that they are OK.
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40066)
• Laguna Woods, California
17 May 22
@CarolDM - My neighbors are home and seem to be OK. I have not spoken to them, yet, about if they know the people who were killed or injured. It is so sad.
2 people like this
@CarolDM (203451)
• Nashville, Tennessee
17 May 22
@DeborahDiane So many tragedies all over the country lately.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (170596)
• United States
15 May 22
I am very glad you and hubby are safe, and weren't involved in the shooting.
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (170596)
• United States
16 May 22
@DeborahDiane I can imagine. How is your husband doing? He is hanging in there I take it.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40066)
• Laguna Woods, California
16 May 22
@snowy22315 - It has been a very upsetting day. I'm glad we were safe, too, but I feel badly for the people who were there.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40066)
• Laguna Woods, California
16 May 22
@snowy22315 - Thank you for asking. My husband had surgery on his carotid artery about 11 days ago, and today is the first day he has felt well. He is still very weak. He was having a series of TIA mini-strokes before the surgery, and they seem to have stopped so, perhaps, we have dealt with one of his many health issues. That's a blessing!
1 person likes this
@much2say (53944)
• Los Angeles, California
15 May 22
I was just going to message you! My sister just texted me to ask about my MIL who is in Laguna Niguel . . . I remembered you were in Laguna Woods.
Thank goodness you and your husband are ok! But I feel awful for those the victims and their families. What a crazy, sick world we live in 
.
.2 people like this
@much2say (53944)
• Los Angeles, California
25 May 22
@DeborahDiane Oh gosh, and here we go again with another school shooting in Texas. When is this ever going to stop. We need to get a grip on this problem NOW. Right - everyone is talking about what needs to be done, but nothing is really being done 
.
.1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40066)
• Laguna Woods, California
25 May 22
@much2say - I was heart-broken yesterday when I heard about those little children, on their Awards Day, being slaughtered by a teenager with TWO AR-17 semi-automatic rifles. Republican Senators are holding this country hostage, and nothing will change until the hearts of voters are changed so they STOP VOTING for these terrible people who are under the thumbs of the NRA.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40066)
• Laguna Woods, California
19 May 22
@much2say - I agree we live in dangerous times. It is crazy when people cannot eat in an outdoor cafe in Los Angeles without being robbed of their jewelry, or attend church or school without worrying about a mass shooter. It is so sad what has happened in this country.
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (48480)
• Mojave, California
15 May 22
Geez, sounds like a bad day, was wattching basketball and news came on after saying something happened too in Buffalo. Was doing online things so did not really paying attention until they said they sad, mad that a terrorist would come in do this to our community.
I am glad you all OK miss lady and its never going to get better with how we view crap I did not get full story but once again sounds like home grown terrorists they talking about. . Sad to say. Just have to have your head on a swivel at all times. These times are something else.
2 people like this
@crossbones27 (48480)
• Mojave, California
18 Oct 22
@DeborahDiane Definitely not a elementary school either. Sorry must have missed your comment. My bad. This is not the world I want to live in.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40066)
• Laguna Woods, California
20 Oct 22
@crossbones27 - I agree with you. I thought I was safe living in a retirement community, with security guards, and gated entrances. Then, those people were shot, and one killed, in a church just outside the gate to our community, within a short walk of our home. No place is safe. As you say, not even an elementary school. Our country has to learn to do better. This is a terrible way to live!
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (48480)
• Mojave, California
22 Oct 22
@DeborahDiane Its whats the point of doing anything if have to live so miserable and in such fear? Things definitely need to change.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (62494)
• United States
15 May 22
Insanity. Yesterday a KID (teenager) was gunned down a couple of miles from my house.
I’m glad you’re safe, and I pray for the church and its parishioners.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (62494)
• United States
17 May 22
@DeborahDiane — if you think back to Biblical times, Israel decided they wanted a king (a politician) over God’s rule. It made Samuel sad, but God told Samuel to give them what they wanted because, “It’s not you they are rejecting, it’s Me.” After Solomon Israel was divided and eventually destroyed….because they put their faith in man and not God.
If you think back to the start of this conservative political movement, it was started by a religious person, Jerry Falwell. In essence, he repeated Israel’s cry to have a political leader instead of God leading the nation. And look where it’s got us. Now the “conservatives” worship Trump, not God.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (159559)
• Boise, Idaho
16 May 22
Good to know you and yours are safe. I think I would be totally weirded out by this.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (159559)
• Boise, Idaho
17 May 22
@DeborahDiane ......Way too close. Something in the cosmos kept you guys away.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40066)
• Laguna Woods, California
17 May 22
@celticeagle - Everyone around here has been "weirded out" by this. Too, too close for comfort.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40066)
• Laguna Woods, California
19 May 22
@celticeagle - We were fortunate, but too many other people were not. Somehow, we need to find a way to stop these mass shootings before they begin.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (48590)
• Canada
16 May 22
@DeborahDiane Its so sad that we cannot feel truly safe in places that we have long gone to.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40066)
• Laguna Woods, California
16 May 22
@Juliaacv - Yes, I'm glad we are safe. The shooting occurred at a location where we often have walked, gone to meetings, etc. It was very upsetting.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (459353)
• Switzerland
17 May 22
@DeborahDiane - I am so sorry for the local doctor who lost his life.
I have not yet checked who and why went to the church to kill people.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (459353)
• Switzerland
18 May 22
@DeborahDiane Oh my goodness, this man was surely full of hate. I imagine he had a mental problem.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40066)
• Laguna Woods, California
19 May 22
@LadyDuck - Yes, it seems strange. Sometimes psychologists look back at these gunmen and find something that "triggered" their sudden desire to hurt other people, like a divorce or job loss. Other times, they just cannot figure it out.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
16 May 22
I'm glad to know you and your hubby are both safe. 
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
18 May 22
@DeborahDiane I understand. Just be as careful as you can, please.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40066)
• Laguna Woods, California
18 May 22
@DaddyEvil - Thanks! My friends and I walked inside our gated retirement community today, and talked about how close the shooting was to our homes. We chatted about how scary it is to go anywhere these days. What is especially sad about our conversation is that one of the women I walk with is a tiny, blond-haired Jewish woman who taught in Compton (one of the poorest areas of Los Angeles) for 30 years, and never felt any danger. Today, they have off-duty police officers outside their synagogue when they have a service. Terrible.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40066)
• Laguna Woods, California
16 May 22
@DaddyEvil - If things don't change, I'm going to become like Pretty and try to just stay home all the time. It has become so dangerous to go anywhere. A 52 year-old doctor was killed in this incident. So terrible.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21736)
• Canada
15 May 22
Yikes. Too close to home. Glad you are okay.
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40066)
• Laguna Woods, California
16 May 22
@Morleyhunt - Yes, it was too close to home. It has created turmoil for everyone in our community.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40066)
• Laguna Woods, California
16 May 22
@franxav - I cannot understand why anyone shoots another person. It is horrifying.
@Deepizzaguy (94934)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
15 May 22
Thank goodness you and your husband are safe and sound.
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40066)
• Laguna Woods, California
16 May 22
@Deepizzaguy - It was so scary. We have often been inside that church building. It is very open to the community and hosts many meetings and activities there, has a preschool, and is always busy. I am so sad for the people who were injured and killed, as well as their friends and family.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40066)
• Laguna Woods, California
16 May 22
@Deepizzaguy - Yes, it doesn't feel like we can safely go anywhere, anymore. It is a sad state of affairs.
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (94934)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
16 May 22
@DeborahDiane I know how you feel since it is becoming a scary world when the news reports about shootings from supermarkets, churches, schools and evening bowling alleys.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40066)
• Laguna Woods, California
17 May 22
@RubyHawk - Yes, people do not walk around with "potential mass shooter" written on their foreheads. Sometimes they say or do something that makes them suspicious, but other times people keep saying, "I can't imagine him doing something like that."
1 person likes this
@RubyHawk (99423)
• Atlanta, Georgia
18 May 22
@DeborahDiane If you look at past shootings you hear people say it was the last person they would have thought of.
1 person likes this
@RubyHawk (99423)
• Atlanta, Georgia
16 May 22
@DeborahDiane It happens way too often and usually it’s a seemingly normal person that’s the shooter.
1 person likes this
@marlina (154165)
• Canada
16 May 22
@DeborahDiane It is terrifying, it seems that too many people are losing their marbles.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40066)
• Laguna Woods, California
17 May 22
@marlina - Totally agree!
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (206648)
• Walnut Creek, California
22 May 22
@DeborahDiane We in California are partially responsible. Reagan "turned the crazies" loose when he was Governor here, and the rest of the Country followed suit.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40066)
• Laguna Woods, California
23 May 22
@TheHorse - I totally agree. Once the mental hospitals were closed, those people either ended up on the streets, or living poorly regulated lives which eventually resulted in them flipping out at some point. It happens across the country every day.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40066)
• Laguna Woods, California
22 May 22
@TheHorse - I was very concerned about my Taiwanese neighbors for a few days, because I didn't see their car. However, they were just out of town. It was so sad, though. A peaceful group of people who didn't hurt anyone being shot because of one, mentally ill, angry person who took out his frustrations on them.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40066)
• Laguna Woods, California
24 Aug 22
Thanks, Valerie. It was scary to have a mass shooter at a church right next to the gate into our retirement community. Totally unexpected! I know people who were there that day!
1 person likes this
@just4him (307286)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
26 Aug 22
@DeborahDiane I'm certain it was scary. I'm glad you're safe.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326170)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 May 22
@DeborahDiane We get along perfectly well without them here. Of course, many have them illegally but the general 'John Citizen' doesn't. However, I can understand how hard it would be to change people's attitudes in the USA.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (129553)
• Israel
16 May 22
By Deborah-Diane
@DeborahDiane
I am glad you are ok and that you were not there when they had the shooting. I hope you did not lose any friends in the shooting. No, I have not read or heard about the shooting there.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40066)
• Laguna Woods, California
16 May 22
@Hannihar - We have so many mass shootings in the United States (four this past weekend) that I am not surprised you did not hear about it in Israel. So many people are dying here. It is sad.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40066)
• Laguna Woods, California
17 May 22
@Hannihar - It is hard to keep up with everything that is going on all around the world. In the past, people only worried about their local news. Times were simpler then.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (129553)
• Israel
17 May 22
@DeborahDiane
If I did hear something I guess I forgot it because our enemies are very busy trying to get rid of us and that will not happen. We have things going on here that do not make the news is why I said it may not be on the news. I only go to one place for news here and it also deals with things that happen outside of Israel too but I do not recall reading about that.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40066)
• Laguna Woods, California
17 May 22
@oahuwriter - So many things are crazy right now.
1 person likes this
