Image source: Los Angeles Times
Shooting: California has strict gun laws, such as a 10-day waiting period and an assault weapons ban.
Surprisingly, there is a lot of gun violence, especially in cities.
Additionally, red flag laws and wider background checks were adopted in California.
The state’s argument about gun violence persists despite these efforts.
Over the weekend, a shooting suspect allegedly started firing at a dance club.
The suspect was responsible for the deaths of 10 people and the injuries of another 10.
According to a recent police report, the shooter killed himself.
The shooting
A mass shooting occurred on Saturday night at Monterey Park, not far from the Lunar New Year celebration.
The Garvey Avenue gathering was scheduled to go until 9:00 pm.
According to the US Census Bureau, Monterey Park is home to more than 65% Asian residents.
It’s still too soon to determine with certainty if the shooting was motivated by hate.
According to the mayor of the nearby city of Alhambra, it is also one of the most significant among the largest Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in the United States.
The victims
Five men and five women were reportedly killed at the ballroom dancing club, according to the police.
Ten individuals were wounded, and seven more were being treated in surrounding hospitals for their injuries.
The authorities described their conditions as ranging from steady to critical.
Luna speculates that the fatalities were in their fifties or older, despite the fact that they had not been identified.
The aftermath
Three minutes after the initial call on Saturday night, police arrived at the dance studio in Monterey Park.
According to Police Chief Scott Wiesse, authorities witnessed a spectacle of chaos as some tried to run while others lay injured on the ground.
Twenty to thirty minutes later, a man brandishing a pistol entered the Lai Lai Ballroom in Alhambra.
Before he departed the scene in a white van, somebody found he was carrying a gun and grabbed it from him.
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The manhunt
Before being caught, the suspect may have sought medical assistance, according to reports.
According to authorities, a gentleman who resembled the suspect reportedly went to the emergency room of a nearby hospital.
He went to the ER because he had injuries, which met the description.
The suspect eventually left without receiving treatment after waiting at the hospital.
Soon later, Torrance police pulled over a white cargo van.
The suspect was found dead after turning his gun on himself during a standoff.
Identity
The deadly shooter was revealed to be Huu Can Tran, 72.
At a news conference that evening, LA County Sheriff Robert Luna said that Tran shot himself while in a standoff with the cops.
The sheriff stated that Tran committed the act alone and that investigators are focusing on the shooting’s motive.
The shooter
Huu Can Tran used to frequent the dance studio, according to his ex-wife and former friend.
The ex-wife, who wished to remain anonymous, said that they initially connected at the Star Ballroom 20 years ago when he provided informal dance lessons.
She reported that although never used physical force, he was quick to anger and that if she missed a step, he would become upset.
Although it’s unclear if he visited the studio recently, an acquaintance recalled him frequenting there in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
His friend alleges Tran often complained about how the instructors didn’t like him.
Furthermore, the friend said Tran was rude to everyone in the studio.
In 2013, he sold his home, and they ceased to communicate.
The friend was stunned at the news.
“I know lots of people, and if they go to Star Studio, they frequent there,” he said.
The acquaintance is worried that he might know some of the shooting victims.
Mass shooting in data
According to the Gun Violence Archive, the Monterey Park tragedy is the 33rd significant shooting in the US this month.
“California has some of the strictest gun laws in the country, but yet look what we just had today,” said Sheriff Robert Luna on Sunday.
“I can tell you this, the status quo is not working. So we need to reexamine what we’re doing and what may work better.”
“And I hope that this tragedy doesn’t just go on a long list of many others that we don’t even talk about until the next one comes up.”
