Gunman in LA massacre found dead
The LA massacre in Monterey Park was the US fifth mass killing this month
Los Angeles, The Gulf Observer: The suspect, 72-year-old Huu Can Tran, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Sunday in the van that authorities say he used to flee after being prevented from attacking another dance hall. The New York Times reported that a man whose family runs that venue wrested the gun from the assailant.
Authorities searched for a motive for the gunman who killed 10 people at a Los Angeles-area ballroom dance club during Lunar New Year celebrations, slayings that sent a wave of fear through Asian American communities and cast a shadow over festivities nationwide.
The massacre in Monterey Park was the United States fifth mass killing this month — and it struck one of California’s largest celebrations of a holiday observed in many Asian cultures, dealing another blow to a community that has been the target of high-profile violence in recent years.
It was also the deadliest attack since May 24, when 21 people were killed in an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.
Very little is known about Tran or his connection to the targeted community and dance halls. Public records show he once had addresses in Monterey Park and neighboring cities.
But Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said the motive remained unclear for the attack, which wounded 10 people. Speaking at a Sunday evening news conference, Luna said all of the people killed appeared to be over 50. No other suspects were at large, according to the sheriff.
The suspect was carrying what Luna described as a semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine, and a second handgun was discovered in the van where Tran died.
Monterey Park Police Chief Scott Wiese said Sunday evening that within three minutes of receiving the call, officers arrived at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio in Monterey Park. There, they found carnage inside and people trying to flee through all the doors.
“When they came into the parking lot it, was chaos,” Wiese said.
About 20 to 30 minutes after the first attack, the gunman entered the Lai Lai Ballroom in the nearby city of Alhambra. But, Luna said, two people wrested the weapon away from him.
The Times reported that after the gunman entered the club, he pointed his weapon at Brandon Tsay, who works a few days a week at the venue his grandparents started. Tsay said he acted on instinct, lunging to grab the gun after getting the feeling the gunman was looking to hurt people. The two struggled before Tsay said he got control of the weapon.
While police said more than one person was involved, Tsay and his family said security footage showed that the 26-year-old computer coder prevented further tragedy alone.
Witnesses said the suspect then fled in a white van.
