21 days into 2023, and tragedy has already struck. January 21st, on Lunar New Year, a gunman opened fire in Star Ballroom Dance Studio, killing 11 people. This shooting is one of California’s worst mass shootings in recent history.
It was Lunar New Year, and the residents of Monterey Park, a primarily Asian/AAPI community, were preparing for a night of celebration. One popular spot was Star Ballroom, a dance studio that had been a sanctuary, where dancers of all skill levels and ages can sashay, twirl and swing the night away. For many older Asian Americans, the dance hall has provided a sense of belonging and community. It was a place of joy and togetherness. Until 10:22 pm that night.
Police receive reports that shots have been fired inside the Star Ballroom. Police respond within 3 minutes, reaching a scene of chaos and “extensive carnage,” Monterey Park Police Chief Scott Wiese reports “There were wounded people. There were people trying to flee out all the doors.“Inside, they came across a scene that none of them had been prepared for.” But the shooter had fled the scene. He then reappeared at another dance studio, Lai Lai Ballroom and Studio, around 10:45 pm, where he entered armed and prepared to cause more damage. However, the gunman encountered Brandon Tsay, who heard the door close and “the sound of metal,” he told ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
Tsay says he realized then he needed to disarm the man. “When I got the courage, I lunged at him with both my hands, grabbed the weapon and we had a struggle,” Tsay said. “We struggled into the lobby, trying to get this gun away from each other.” Police reports later state that two people helped disarm the shooter. The weapon, a magazine-fed semi-automatic assault pistol that had an extended large capacity magazine attached to it, was recovered by authorities. Following this confrontation, the shooter flees the scene, causing a manhunt to ensue after it was reported that the shooter was seen fleeing a white van. The manhunt continued until 10:20 am January 22nd, when the white van was spotted near Hawthorne and Sepulveda Boulevards in Torrance. When officers arrived and started heading towards the car, they heard a single gunshot. They retreated and called for backup. Following the arrival of SWAT, they discovered the suspect dead in the van as a result of a self inflicted gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police are still investigating the shooter’s motive. He was once a regular patron at Star Ballroom. He often complained at the time that the instructors at the dance hall didn’t like him and said “evil things about him,” the friend remembered, adding that he was “hostile to a lot of people there.”
As of February 2nd, this tragedy has resulted in 11 dead and 9 injured. All but one of the victims were over the age of 60. Six of the victims were women, and five were men. Their names were officially released on Tuesday, January 24th.
My Nhan, 65
Ming Wei Ma, 72
Diana Tom, 70
Xiujuan Yu, 57
Lilian Li, 63
Valentino Alvero, 68
Muoi Ung, 67
Hong Jian, 62
Yu Kao, 72
Chia Yau, 76
and Wen Yu, 64
Since the official announcement, family and friends of their victims have taken the time to express their grief and sorrow, describing each victim as the people they will remember them as.
Ms. Nhan, a regular at Star Ballroom, was described by her family as their “biggest cheerleader” and a “loving aunt,sister, daughter, and friend.” They will remember her “warm smile” and “contagious kindness.”
Mr. Ma was one of the managers of Star Ballroom. He was well known and loved within the community for his role in their cultural lives. Laura Woods, a dance instructor at Star, described
Mr. Ma as a key fixture in their studio. “He was so adorable to me and I could tell he was the heart of Star Ballroom,” Ms Woods said.
Ms. Yu immigrated to the US from China in the early 2010’s. Her niece, Kathleen Fong, wrote on a GoFundMe post, “She will never be able to witness what she dreamed of for all these years. It happened all too quickly – we never even got a chance to properly say goodbye.”
Mr. Alvero was “more than just a headline or a news story,” his family said. He was a “loving father, a dedicated son and brother, a grandfather who loved his three granddaughters fiercely, an uncle who loved his nieces and nephews like his own.”
The whole community of Monterey Park is left shocked and grieving, as they join the hundreds, even thousands, of communities across the US that have fallen victim to a senseless act of gun violence. As more and more innocent lives are slain, there is still no sign of change for our governing body. There is no sign that they truly care for the people, the people they are supposed to protect. At this point, “thoughts and prayers” have become useless. But the cycle will continue, and gun violence will continue to plague America.
If you see or hear something that leads you to think that someone is planning to hurt you or others. Please do not hesitate to tell a trusted adult or anonymously report it to the HHS Safe School Helpline. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Call: 1-800-418-6423, Ext. 397
Text: 614-426-0240, then type TIPS
