The Bakersfield Californian

Doctor who fought gunman remembered as a kind protector

- BY AMY TAXIN AND JULIE WATSON

ALISO VIEJO — He was known by all as simply Dr. John, the quiet, calm physician who mentored kids in kung fu, finding time between patient appointmen­ts to encourage people to learn self-defense. So it was no surprise to friends and colleagues that John Cheng spent his final moments saving others by rushing a gunman who fired on a Southern California church luncheon of mostly older Taiwanese people, including Cheng’s recently widowed mother.

The 52-year-old father of two often looked for ways to protect people. He was concerned enough about the growing number of mass shootings that he had taken safety courses to prepare himself for a situation like the one that cost him his life Sunday.

“It was characteri­stic of Dr. Cheng to charge forward at that gunman,” said Erica Triplett, Cheng’s office manager. “It does not surprise any of us. Dr. Cheng exemplifie­d what he was built for — his heroism that saved so many people not only at that church, but throughout his career.”

The family and sports medicine physician was like family to the staff and he encouraged them to learn kung fu, telling them about the importance of knowing self-defense techniques. He also learned how to handle a gun for that same reason.

That preparedne­ss combined with Cheng’s serene dispositio­n likely gave him a proclivity for acting heroically, according to active shooter experts. Most people in those situations freeze.

“People don’t rise to the level of the occasion; they fall to the level of training that they have,” said active shooter expert Chris Grollnek, who believes such trainings should be as common as fire drills. “This man obviously as a doctor was inoculated (to deal) with bad things from a bone sticking out of somebody’s arm to a tragic event like what happened inside the church in Orange County.”

Authoritie­s credit Cheng’s quick action with saving perhaps dozens of lives at a celebrator­y luncheon for congregant­s and their former pastor at Irvine Taiwanese Presbyteri­an Church, which worships at Geneva Presbyteri­an Church in the Orange County community of Laguna Woods.

Prosecutor­s say the gunman, David Chou, 68, of Las Vegas, was motivated by hatred of Taiwan, where he was born and grew up after his family was forced from mainland China when Communists took control. He had no connection to the church but it afforded him access to a large group of Taiwanese to target, authoritie­s said.

Chou spent about an hour with attendees at the luncheon, apparently to gain their trust so he could execute his plot, authoritie­s said. He chained doors shut and glued locks. He had two 9 mm handguns and three bags, containing four Molotov-cocktail-type incendiary devices and ammunition.

When Chou began shooting, Cheng charged him and was shot. He died at the scene but his quick action disrupted the

shooter, who was then hit by a chair thrown by the church’s former pastor, Billy Chang, and jumped on by three members of the congregati­on who used an extension cord to tie him up until police arrived.

Cheng was the only one killed. Five others were wounded, including four men ages 66 to 92 and an 86-year-old woman.

Sheriff Don Barnes called Cheng’s heroism “a meeting of good versus evil.”

“Dr. Cheng’s selfless love for others stopped a hate-filled act from claiming more lives beyond his own,” Barnes said in a tweet.

Those who knew Cheng said that selflessne­ss defined his life.

He started his practice by knocking on doors to introduce himself as the new family doctor in the area, said Johnna Gherardini, executive director of South Coast Medical Group. Cheng gave physicals to student athletes and then donated the money he was paid to Aliso Niguel High School.

Gherardini took kung fu with her daughter at Cheng’s urging.

“He’s always taught us how to protect ourselves,” she said.

 ?? ALISO NIGUEL HIGH SCHOOL VIA AP ?? This undated photo provided by Aliso Niguel High School shows Dr. John Cheng on the sidelines of a game as the Aliso Niguel High School team doctor.
ALISO NIGUEL HIGH SCHOOL VIA AP This undated photo provided by Aliso Niguel High School shows Dr. John Cheng on the sidelines of a game as the Aliso Niguel High School team doctor.

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