David Fidel Mora-Rojas Identified as Sacramento Church Shooting Suspect

A man shot and killed his three daughters and their chaperone before he turned the gun on himself at a church in Sacramento, authorities said.

The shooting took place at The Church in Sacramento in the Arden-Arcade neighborhood, where the suspect opened fire in the main sanctuary area just after 5 p.m., Sacramento County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Sgt. Rod Grassmann said during a news conference. A worker at the church at the time heard the gunshots and called 911, Grassmann said.

The gunman was identified as David Fidel Mora-Rojas, according to ABC News.

Sheriff Scott Jones said the shooting is believed to have happened during a supervised visit between the man and his children, who were 9, 10 and 13.

The mother had a restraining order against the father, Jones told reporters.

"This is, as far as I can see, at this point a domestic-violence-related sort of incident," Grassmann told reporters.

Jones also urged anyone in a "volatile" relationship to seek help.

"There's a lot of ways that this could have unfolded and obviously, it's a tragedy no matter how it unfolds," he said. "There's just no explanation of how these violence and domestic relationships go bad, especially when the victim appears to do everything right and reach out for help.

"So I would just encourage any person that's in a volatile relationship, you can't fully comprehend what someone is capable of, but if you feel like you're in danger, then get out and get some help and talk to someone you trust."

It wasn't immediately clear how many people were in the building at the time of the shooting. The church had been holding its weekly services online because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to its website.

Authorities said they didn't know if the family belonged to the church, which caters to English, Chinese and Spanish speakers.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a tweet: "Another senseless act of gun violence in America—this time in our backyard. In a church with kids inside. Absolutely devastating. Our hearts go out to the victims, their families and their communities."

Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg described it as "an unspeakable tragedy."

"It happens too often, and tonight it happened in our backyard," he said in a tweet on Monday evening. "First thoughts are with the victims and their families. Same to the first responders who have to confront such a horrible scene."

Update 3/1/22, 3:05 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.

Anyone seeking help should call The National Domestic Violence Hotline, a free and confidential hotline available 24/7 that can be reached on 1-800-799-7233 or TTY 1-800-787-3224. The Hotline also provides information on local resources. For more information visit https://www.thehotline.org/.