Suspect in deadly Monterey Park shooting kills self, cops say

The suspect in a terrifying shooting at a Los Angeles-area dance club killed himself Sunday, authorities said.

The man shot himself as law enforcement officials swarmed a white van he had used to flee the scene of the crime, in which 10 people were killed and at least 10 others wounded, said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.

He was named as Huu Can Tran, 72.

The massacre happened at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio in Monterey Park, a city with a large Asian population, following a Lunar New Year celebration.

“We still are not clear on the motive,” Luna said, promising the investigation would go on. “We want to know how something this awful can happen.”

Twenty to 30 minutes after the shooting, another confrontation occurred at Lai Lai Ballroom in nearby Alhambra, Calif.

“It’s definitely on our radar screen where a male Asian suspect walked into [an Alhambra] dance hall … with a firearm, and some individuals wrestled the firearm away from him,” Luna said of the incident. “That individual took off.”

The weapon from the Alhambra incident was obtained by authorities, according to the sheriff. It was described as a semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Five males and five females died in the Monterey Park shooting, according to Luna, who said investigators haven’t determined whether the attack was a hate crime. Those 10 victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while the wounded were hospitalized in conditions ranging from stable to critical.

“When officers arrived on scene, they observed numerous individuals, patrons of the location, pouring out of the location, screaming,” sheriff’s Capt. Andrew Meyer said Sunday.

The shooting occurred in Monterey Park’s downtown area, which is heavily decorated to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit. Previous years saw crowds of about 100,000 attend the Lunar New Year celebration.

Data released on the Monterey Park website in 2020 said 65.6% of the city’s more than 61,000 residents were Asian. Many of the city’s residents moved from China.

“I thought maybe it was fireworks,” said resident Tony Lai, who heard the gunshots overnight. “I thought maybe it had something to do with Lunar New Year. And we don’t even get a lot of fireworks here. It’s weird to see this. It’s really safe here. We’re right in the middle of the city, but it’s really safe.”

Sunday festivities for Lunar New Year were canceled after the shooting. Officials said it was unclear whether the suspect knew anyone at the dance club.

“I am horrified and deeply saddened to learn about the attack in Monterey Park following a Lunar New Year festival,” said Rep. Grace Meng, a Queens Democrat who is vice chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

“It is a truly devastating way to ring in the new year, and I condemn this terrible and senseless act of violence against the Asian American community,” she added. “My heart goes out to all who are impacted.”

President Biden, the White House and Attorney General Merrick Garland have been briefed about the shooting, officials said.

“Our hearts go out to those who lost loved ones tonight in our neighboring city, Monterey Park, where a mass shooting just occurred,” tweeted Kenneth Mejia, the Los Angeles city controller who last year became the first Asian American politician elected to a citywide office position.

“Monterey Park is home to one of the largest Asian communities in Los Angeles County and many were out celebrating the Lunar New Year.”

Tran’s van was found in a strip mall on Sunday morning, officials said.

Members of a SWAT team determined he had killed himself at 1 p.m. local time. They entered the vehicle and found several pieces of evidence, according to the Los Angeles Times, though the contents were not disclosed.

Police officers stand outside a ballroom dance club in Monterey Park, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023. (Jae C. Hong/AP)

Saturday’s shooting is the deadliest in the U.S. since 21 people — including 19 children — were killed at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, last May.

In November, five people died in a shooting at Club Q, an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colo. Suspect Anderson Lee Aldrich was charged with more than 300 criminal counts, including first-degree murder and hate crimes.

Saturday’s shooting was among the worst in L.A.’s history, the Times noted.

“This is [supposed to be] a happy time,” delivery worker Edwin Chen was quoted as saying. “I want to find out as much as possible. It’s still shocking.”

With Theresa Braine and News Wire Services