Police officers stand guard close to the scene of a lethal taking pictures on Sunday in Monterey Park, Calif. 10 individuals have been killed and 10 extra have been injured at a dance studio close to a Lunar New Year celebration on Saturday evening.

Eric Thayer/Getty Images

conceal caption

toggle caption

Eric Thayer/Getty Images

Police officers stand guard close to the scene of a lethal taking pictures on Sunday in Monterey Park, Calif. 10 individuals have been killed and 10 extra have been injured at a dance studio close to a Lunar New Year celebration on Saturday evening.

Eric Thayer/Getty Images

A mass taking pictures over the weekend at a dance studio in Monterey Park, a metropolis east of Los Angeles, killed 10 individuals and left 10 others injured.

After an hours-long manhunt, the suspect was discovered useless from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Torrance, about 30 miles southwest of Monterey Park, officers mentioned. The suspect has been recognized as Huu Can Tran, a 72-year-old man.

The late Saturday evening attack occurred in a predominantly Asian American group on Lunar New Year’s eve, after a preferred pageant within the space. Officials haven’t but recognized the victims.

A motive for the taking pictures is just not recognized. The FBI and state authorities are additionally concerned within the investigation.

The suspect focused two separate dance studios

At round 10:22 p.m. native time on Saturday, a gunman opened fireplace within Star Dance Studio, Chinese-owned ballroom dance studio on West Garvey Avenue, lower than a block from the place a Lunar New Year pageant was held. The first day of the two-day pageant had simply ended. The occasion, which officers mentioned drew greater than 100,000 attendees, was canceled after the taking pictures.

About a half hour after the assault, the identical armed man went into one other ballroom studio, Lai Lai Ballroom and Studio, in close by Alhambra, just a few miles away.

The suspect went to the second location with the “intent to kill more people,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna mentioned, however two individuals efficiently disarmed the suspect by wresting the weapon out of his fingers.

The suspect was utilizing what native authorities mentioned was a magazine-fed assault-style pistol, of which Luna mentioned he was uncertain of its authorized standing within the state.

On Sunday at about 10:20 a.m., police noticed a white cargo van in Torrance, Calif. The driver of the van pulled over and police surrounded it, then heard a single gunshot. Authorities retreated and returned at about 12:52 p.m. with backup, to seek out Tran inside, useless from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Of the ten individuals pronounced useless on the scene, 5 have been girls and 5 have been males, officers mentioned. The wounded victims have been rushed to native hospitals, in circumstances starting from steady to crucial. The victims are of their 50s and above.

Asian-American group reactions

Monterey Park’s inhabitants is greater than 65% Asian, in accordance with the newest figures from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The metropolis of almost 60,000 residents had simply wrapped up the primary day of its Lunar New Year Festival when the taking pictures occurred.

Lunar New Year, which started Sunday, is without doubt one of the most necessary festivals throughout Asian societies, together with in Vietnam, China, Korea and Mongolia. The vacation traditionally begins on the primary full moon of the lunar yr, however its begin date and origins could differ throughout cultures.

Monterey Park council member Thomas Wong, who represents the district the place the taking pictures occurred, mentioned his group was shocked, saddened and “on edge.”

“Instead of celebrating and bringing family together to look forward to a hopeful and prosperous new year, we’re starting it off with a senseless tragedy,” Wong informed NPR.

Leaders reply

Monterey Park Mayor Henry Lo expressed his condolences for the taking pictures victims and their households at a press conference, and mentioned, “Moving forward, it is important that we be there for them, to provide services and support they need, in what will be a time of healing in the next weeks, months, if not years.”

Monterey Park has established a memorial at metropolis corridor and a survivor’s heart at a neighborhood senior heart.

President Biden has been briefed on the taking pictures.

“Jill and I are praying for those killed and injured in last night’s deadly mass shooting in Monterey Park. I’m monitoring this situation closely as it develops, and urge the community to follow guidance from local officials and law enforcement in the hours ahead,” Biden mentioned in an announcement on Sunday.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom was in Monterey Park following the taking pictures.

“The strength of this community is incredible,” he said. “No other country in the world is terrorized by this constant stream of gun violence. We need real gun reform at a national level.

Police departments in San Francisco, New York City, Philadelphia and Houston said they would be increasing the presence of officers at Lunar New Year events following the mass shooting.

The taking pictures in Monterey Park comes amid an already violent yr for the U.S.

The nation has seen at the very least 33 mass shootings in 2023 alone, in accordance with knowledge compiled by the Gun Violence Archive.

The archive defines a mass taking pictures as one during which at the very least 4 persons are injured or killed, apart from the shooter.