A San Diego County community is mourning the loss of Pastor Felipe Ascencio after he was shot and killed in his own home. Ascencio, a father of two, was pastor of Templo Monte Horeb in Ramona, California.
In a press release, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office said that officers responded to a call on Sunday, Sept. 7, around 2:30 p.m. When they arrived at the scene, they found Ascencio had suffered a gunshot wound.
Although the officers contacted emergency medical services, Ascencio succumbed to his injury and was pronounced dead at the scene.
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Homicide detectives have identified Joel Martin Dukes III, 22, as the alleged shooter. Dukes has been arrested for murder. The sheriff’s office indicated that the investigation is ongoing, saying, “At this stage of the investigation, the motivation and circumstances of the crime are still under investigation.”
“The San Diego Sheriff’s Office extends our sympathies to the Ascencio family and all those affected by this tragic event,” the press release said. “Based on information gathered so far, this appears to be an isolated incident and there is no danger to the community.”
Following Ascencio’s death, community members are describing him as a father figure.
“For a moment it was just something we couldn’t believe,” Miguel Hernandez, a longtime churchgoer, told KGTV. “Even on Wednesday, we had church, and we were still thinking that he was going to walk in and say hello to everyone.”
Jesus Flores, who grew up attending Templo Monte Horeb, said of Ascencio, “He really found a bunch of value in me when nobody really did.”
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Francisco Tomas, another long-time friend, said, “For me, he was not just a pastor. He was a father, he was an uncle, he was a friend, he was a mentor.”
