Doctor who fought church gunman remembered as kind protector

By AMY TAXIN and JULIE WATSON
Associated Press

ALISO VIEJO, Calif. (AP) — Friends and colleagues of Dr. John Cheng say they were not surprised the quiet, kind and calm sports medicine physician saved others by rushing a gunman firing on a Southern California church luncheon. The 52-year-old father who was raised in East Texas was known for doing all he could to protect people. He even had taken courses to prepare for such a horrific event, concerned about the growing number of mass shootings. Active shooter experts say that preparedness combined with Cheng’s serene disposition likely gave him a proclivity for acting heroically. Cheng was killed and five were wounded in Sunday’s shooting. Authorities credit him for saving perhaps dozens of lives.