Police: Gunman Wounds 3 Outside California Church

Gunman wounds 3 at California church festival in what police say was domestic dispute

By CHRISTOPHER WEBER Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES May 18, 2008 (AP)

A man with a semiautomatic rifle opened fire at a church festival Saturday, wounding his ex-wife and two bystanders before festival-goers grabbed him and held him for police, authorities and a church official said.

Witnesses described a chaotic scene, with people screaming and running for the exit after gunfire rang out on a grassy field where the festival was being set up at the St. John Baptist de la Salle Roman Catholic parish.

Fernando Diaz Jr., 33, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, said Los Angeles Police Officer Ana Aguirre. He was held in Van Nuys jail in lieu of $1.5 million bail.

"I don't really have too much to say about that. It's a personal thing between me and the church," Diaz said to a KNX-AM reporter before being taken to jail.

When asked if he has an issue with the church, Diaz responded: "The church has an issue with me."

Jeff Sempelsz, a church volunteer was setting up a prize booth when the shooting started.

"It sounded like balloons popping," he said. "I didn't know what it was but I could see the rifle in his hand."

Diaz's 29-year-old wife was wounded in the arm and a 45-year-old man was wounded in the leg. Both were hospitalized in stable condition. A 43-year-old man was hit in the chest and was hospitalized in critical condition.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080518/ap_on_re_us/church_shootings
http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/WireStory?id=4879141&page=1