The Los Angeles police announced that the gunman suspected of killing 10 people during Lunar New Year celebrations in California shot himself and committed suicide while being pursued by security forces. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna stated that police were tracking a vehicle, and when they approached it, they heard a single gunshot from inside. Luna added, "The suspect suffered a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene." The suspect, identified as 72-year-old Huu Can Tran, is of Asian descent. Luna mentioned that this man is the only suspect in the Monterey Park shooting, adding that the motive behind the attack during the Lunar New Year celebrations is still unknown, and the investigation is ongoing.
The pursuit of the shooter ended about 40 kilometers from the city where the shooting occurred. Police surrounded a white vehicle after a lengthy chase and found a lifeless body inside, according to images broadcast by television channels. Photos from the French Press Agency show a lifeless body in the front of the vehicle. The Los Angeles Times quoted a police source earlier stating that the driver shot himself.
U.S. President Joe Biden ordered American flags at public buildings to be lowered in honor of the victims of the mass shooting in Monterey Park, California. Biden directed that the flags be lowered until sunset on January 26 "in respect for the victims of the senseless violence committed on January 21, 2023, in Monterey Park, California," according to a statement from the White House. In addition to the deceased, at least ten other people were injured in the random shooting in Monterey Park, according to eyewitness accounts.
Earlier, Los Angeles Police Chief Robert Luna said, "We are using all resources to apprehend this suspect in what we believe is one of the most heinous cases in the county." Luna noted that police responded to emergency calls at 10:22 PM Saturday (06:22 Sunday GMT) and found people fleeing the scene. He added, "Unfortunately, fire department personnel declared ten victims dead at the scene." Officials explained that the victims are five women and five men, without providing their ages or names.
Luna spoke about a second incident in the city of Alhambra that occurred approximately 20 minutes after the attack in Monterey Park. In detail, an Asian man armed with a gun entered a dance hall but was restrained and disarmed. The man fled, and no injuries were reported. Luna stated that investigators are looking into whether the two incidents are connected.
Monterey Park is located a few kilometers from downtown Los Angeles and has a population of around 60,000, mostly Asian or Asian American. Luna said, "We do not know if this crime, in particular, is classified as a hate crime under the law... but who walks into a dance hall and opens fire on about 20 people?"
Biden tweeted that he and his wife Jill "are praying for the souls of those killed and injured in the deadly shooting in Monterey Park," adding, "I am closely monitoring the situation." The Canadian Prime Minister expressed his condolences, tweeting, "My heart breaks for the residents of Monterey Park."
Local resident Wong Wei told the Los Angeles Times that his girlfriend was in the dance hall but was in the restroom when the shooting started. When she came out, she saw a gunman shooting randomly and three bodies, identified as two women and an individual recognized as the venue's manager.
The newspaper reported that Song Won Choi, who owns a seafood restaurant near the incident location, said three individuals rushed into his restaurant, urging him to lock the door. They stated that a man was armed with a semi-automatic gun with multiple rounds of ammunition and that he was reloading each time he ran out of bullets. The Times noted that tens of thousands of people gathered earlier that Saturday to participate in Lunar New Year celebrations, which are among the largest in Southern California.
Former Monterey Park Mayor Judy Chu wrote, "My heart breaks for the victims and their families and for my city." Chu noted that she was at the celebration several hours before the shooting, when attendance was higher, adding, "It could have been worse than it was."
Gun violence is a significant crisis in the United States, with over 600 mass shootings reported in 2022, according to the Gun Violence Archive. The incidents have reignited the debate over gun control measures, although little progress has been made in Congress on adopting reforms. More than 44,000 people were affected by gunfire in 2022, with over half being suicides. One in three adults in the U.S. owns at least one firearm, and one in two adults lives in a household with a gun.
