California shooting suspect kills himself after Lunar New Year massacre - Reuters

MONTEREY PARK, Calif., Jan 22 (Reuters) - A 72-year-old gunman killed himself erstwhile approached by constabulary connected Sunday, astir 12 hours aft helium had carried retired a Lunar New Year massacre astatine a creation nine that near 10 radical dormant and different 10 wounded.

The gunman tried to transportation retired different shooting astatine a abstracted nine conscionable minutes aft the archetypal 1 connected Saturday night, but authorities said 2 bystanders wrestled the man's limb distant from him earlier immoderate shots could beryllium fired. He fled that scene.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna identified the fishy arsenic Huu Can Tran, a septuagenarian helium said utilized a high-capacity mag pistol to sprout up a ballroom creation venue fashionable with older patrons successful Monterey Park, astir 7 miles (11 km) eastbound of downtown Los Angeles.

Investigators did not yet cognize a motive, though gun unit is frequent successful the United States. Luna did not place immoderate of the victims but said the 5 men and 5 women appeared to beryllium successful their 50s, 60s and beyond. The sheriff said the pistol Tran utilized appeared to beryllium amerciable successful California, wherever authorities laws prohibition immoderate mag holding much than 10 rounds.

"We privation to know, we privation to cognize however thing this atrocious tin happen," Luna told reporters.

After constabulary accidental Tran carried retired the shooting successful Monterey Park astatine astir 10 p.m. PST Saturday (0600 GMT connected Sunday), helium was confronted by bystanders astatine a 2nd creation nine successful the neighboring metropolis of Alhambra astir 20 minutes later, Luna said.

"I tin archer you that the fishy walked successful there, astir apt with the intent to termination much people, and 2 brave assemblage members decided they were going to leap into enactment and disarm him," Luna said.

The sheriff said that Tran turned a handgun connected himself connected Sunday arsenic constabulary approached a achromatic van helium was driving successful Torrance, astir 20 miles (34 km) from the tract of the shooting astatine the Star Ballroom Dance Studio successful Monterey Park. Officers heard a azygous gunshot from the van arsenic they approached, past fell backmost and called for a SWAT team.

Of the 10 radical injured, 7 remained hospitalized Sunday night, with astatine slightest 1 idiosyncratic successful captious condition.

The shooting took spot astir the determination of a two-day Chinese Lunar New Year celebration wherever galore downtown streets are closed for festivities that gully thousands of radical from crossed Southern California.

A CLOSE-KNIT COMMUNITY

Residents stood gazing astatine the galore blocks sealed disconnected with constabulary portion connected Sunday successful Monterey Park. Chester Chong, president of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles, described the metropolis of astir 60,000 radical arsenic a quiet, peaceful, beauteous place wherever everybody knows each different and helps each other.

The metropolis has for decades been a destination for immigrants from China. Around 65% of its residents are Asian, according to U.S. Census data, and the metropolis is known for its galore Chinese restaurants and groceries.

"People were calling maine past night, they were frightened this was a hatred crime," Chong said astatine the scene.

The Star Ballroom Dance Studio opened successful 1990, and its website features galore photographs of past Lunar New Year celebrations showing patrons smiling and dancing successful enactment apparel successful its large, brightly lit ballroom.

Most of its patrons are middle-aged oregon seniors, though children besides be younker creation classes, according to a teacher astatine the workplace who asked to not beryllium named.

"Those are mean moving people," the teacher said. "Some are retired and conscionable looking for an workout oregon societal interaction."

A flyer posted connected the website advertised Saturday night's caller twelvemonth party, moving from 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Sunday.

The gunshots were mistaken by immoderate for caller twelvemonth fireworks, according to Tiffany Chiu, 30, who was celebrating astatine her parents' location adjacent the ballroom.

"A batch of older radical unrecorded here, it's usually truly quiet," she said. "This is not thing you expect here."

President Joe Biden condemned the killings successful a written connection and said helium had directed his Homeland Security advisor to mobilize national enactment to section authorities.

The onslaught successful Monterey Park was the deadliest since May 2022, erstwhile a gunman killed 19 students and 2 teachers astatine a schoolhouse successful Uvalde, Texas. The deadliest shooting successful California past was successful 1984 erstwhile a gunman killed 21 radical astatine a McDonald's edifice successful San Ysidro, adjacent San Diego.

Reporting by Tim Reid successful Monterey Park, Jonathan Allen successful New York and Brad Brooks successful Lubbock, Texas; Additional reporting by Leah Douglas, Kanishka Singh, Gabriella Borter, Dan Whitcomb, Timothy Gardner, Mary Milliken, and Maria Vasilyeva Writing by Brad Brooks, Raissa Kasolowsky and Jonathan Allen Editing by Paul Thomasch, Frances Kerry, Matthew Lewis, Chris Reese, Mary Milliken and Lisa Shumaker

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