Rick Warren son autopsy: The son of pastor Rick Warren died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to an autopsy report.
Matthew Warren, 27, committed suicide on Friday after struggling for years with depression, Rick Warren said in a letter to members of the Orange County-based Saddleback Valley Community Church.
Orange County Sheriff’s spokesman Jim Amormino told KTLA-TV that Warren died around 10 a.m. on Friday in his home. His death was reported at around 5:25 p.m.
“We appreciate all of your prayer and support for Pastor Rick and Kay during this difficult situation. Show your support through prayer, commenting, liking, or sharing this post.,” Saddleback Church said in a post on Rick Warren’s Facebook account.
Warren described his son as an “incredibly kind, gentle and compassionate man,” according to the Los Angeles Times.
“He had a brilliant intellect and a gift for sensing who was most in pain or most uncomfortable in a room. He’d then make a beeline to that person to engage and encourage them,” he said.
Amormino says the ruling was also based on evidence found at the scene.
To whom the weapon belonged to is still unclear. The Warrens said in an email on Saturday that their son struggled with deep depression and suicidal thoughts.
The elder Warren founded Saddleback Church in 1980, and watched it grow to 20,000 members and several campuses. In 2002, he published the multimillion-selling book “The Purpose Driven Life.”
He also delivered a speech at President Obama’s inauguration in 2008.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
