On Saturday night, a gunman entered and opened fire in a party that was celebrating the Lunar New Year in a popular dance studio in Monterey Park, California.
The authorities state that the mass shooting was found to be fatal to five women and five men, who died immediately. Officials state that the are all "probably" of Asian descent. While 10 others were discovered to be injured and rushed to local hospitals.
The gunman left the scene following the shooting and entered a second dance club in Alhambra, where he was disarmed by patrons. Witnesses state that he fled the scene and escaped in a white van.
On Sunday, after hours of the manhunt, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said that the SWAT team were able to find and pin the white van. While approaching the vehicle, officers report to have heard a gunshot and discovered the suspect, identified as Huu Can Tran, 72, has shot himself.
The authorities are yet know the motive. But Sheriff Luna believes that the subject acted alone, and suspects that the number plate was stolen and that the gun was illegal. This has been labeled as one of the deadliest mass shooting in California's history
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Monterey Park is a city with a huge population of Asian American — it has synonymously been called America's first "Chinese suburb."
After the pandemic, the celebrations for Lunar New Year were in full force, specifically because for the first time in history, California recognized the holiday as a state holiday. The Monterey Park celebrations of Lunar New Year were canceled as the residents mourn the tragedy.
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