Assault Weapon Shooter Escapes After Killing 10 in Calif. Ballroom
At least 10 others were hurt in the mass shooting.
The gunfire erupted around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday night in this city of 60,000 less than 10 miles from Los Angeles.
A manhunt is underway for a gunman who turned a California ballroom into a shooting gallery late Saturday, killing 10 people and wounding 10 others.
The nation’s latest mass shooting happened in Monterey Park, California, inside the Star Dance Studio less than an hour after a Lunar New Year festival in the city ended.
Police, meanwhile, were also on the scene of a second dance studio in Alhambra on Sunday morning, though it was not clear what might have transpired there.
Authorities did not release any information about a motive, although both dance studios are in predominantly Asian American communities. A law enforcement source told the Los Angeles Times that the suspect used a high-powered assault rifle at close range during the shooting.
“The investigators are working every lead on this case,” said Capt. Andrew Meyer of the homicide department of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
“We have all our resources here—unlimited amount of resources. We have resources from various law enforcement agencies. We’re reviewing all surveillance video, any surveillance video, following all leads, so we’re not going to leave anything unturned.”
Wong Wei, who lives near the crime scene, told the Los Angeles Times that a friend who survived the massacre emerged from the bathroom to find a gunman holding a long gun and three bodies.
“When officers arrived on scene, they observed numerous individuals, patrons of the location, pouring out of the location screaming. The officers made entry to the location and located additional victims,” Meyer said.
“The Monterey Park Police Fire Department responded to the scene and treated the injured and pronounced 10 of the victims deceased at the scene. There were at least 10 additional victims that were transported to numerous local hospitals and are listed in various conditions from stable to critical. The suspect fled the scene and remains outstanding.”
In a tweet, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden was briefed on the horrific mass shooting by Homeland Security Adviser Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall.
“He directed her to make sure that the FBI is providing full support to local authorities, and to update him regularly today as more details are known,” Jean-Pierre wrote.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom also said the state was monitoring the situation.
“Monterey Park should have had a night of joyful celebration of the Lunar New Year,” he tweeted. “Instead, they were the victims of a horrific and heartless act of gun violence. Our hearts mourn as we learn more about the devastating acts of last night.”
Meanwhile, Monterey Park said in a statement that the second day of Lunar New Year festivities has been canceled.
“The City expresses condolences to the individuals, families, and friends who were injured in this tragic incident,” the city said.
“Even though the incident did not occur at the 2023 Lunar New Year Festival, an active investigation is currently underway and the area near and around the festival is affected. As a precaution and for the safety of everyone, the City regrets to announce the cancellation of the second day of the festival.”
A website for Star Ballroom Dance Studio says the center was opened in 2013 by Maria Liang, who previously worked for Nike and East West Bank, which serves the Chinese-American community.
“With 10,000 square feet of floor space, it is one of the largest dance studios in town, featuring dozens of teachers and performers from Europe, the Americas, and China,” the website says.
According to an events calendar, the studio was open Saturday evening for “Star Night,” with dancing from 8 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. for $10.
