World
LA Mass Shooting Suspect Kills 10 Near Lunar New Year fest
MONTEREY PARK, Calif. Following a Lunar New Year celebration, a gunman opened fire at a Los Angeles-area ballroom dance studio, killing ten people and sparking a manhunt for the suspect in the country’s fifth mass killing this month.
Another ten people were injured and taken to hospitals, where their conditions ranged from stable to critical, according to Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Capt. Andrew Meyer on Sunday.
The incident occurred late Saturday in Monterey Park, a city of about 60,000 people on the eastern outskirts of Los Angeles, mostly made up of Chinese immigrants or first-generation Asian Americans.
Meyer said people were “pouring out of the location screaming” when officers arrived at the studio around 10:30 p.m. He claimed officers entered the ballroom and discovered victims while firefighters treated the injured.
5Th Mass Shooting This Year
Meyer didn’t say anything about the male suspect or the weapon he used. He also didn’t say why police kept the shooting a secret for hours while the attacker was still on the run.
He stated that it was too early in the investigation to determine whether the gunman knew anyone in the ballroom or whether it was a hate crime.
“We’ll look at everything,” Meyer promised.
The shooting happened in the middle of downtown Monterey Park, where the streets were decorated with red lanterns for the Lunar New Year. A police vehicle was parked near a large banner that read, “Happy Year of the Rabbit!”
The Party Is One Of The Biggest In La
The party in Monterey Park is one of the biggest in California, with tens of thousands of people there all day.
Two days of festivities were planned, with up to 100,000 people expected to attend in previous years. However, following the shooting, officials canceled Sunday’s events.
Tony Lai, 35, of Monterey Park, was stunned to learn that the noises he heard in the night were gunshots when he went for his early morning walk.
“I assumed it was fireworks. “I thought it might have something to do with Lunar New Year,” he speculated. “And we don’t even get many fireworks here. It’s strange to see this. It’s extremely secure here. We’re in the city’s heart, but it’s extremely safe.”
SOURCE – (AP)
