2 Victims of Monterey Park Shooting Identified, Death Toll Rises to 11
The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office on Monday released the names of two victims in the Monterey Park mass shooting, which has seen the death toll rise to 11, with nine others injured.
The coroner identified two victims as Mymy Nhan, a 65-year-old woman, and Li Lilan, a 63-year-old woman. The identities of the remaining victims, who range in age from their 50s to 70s, have yet to be released.
Of the people killed whose names haven’t been released, two were women in their 60s, and one was in her 50s. There were also three men in their 70s, and two in their 60s.
Nhan’s family said her death was “still sinking in.”
“She spent so many years going to the dance studio in Monterey Park on weekends. It’s what she loved to do. But unfairly, Saturday was her last dance,” the family said in a statement. “We are starting the Lunar New Year broken. We never imagined her life would end so suddenly.” Sunday marked the start of the Lunar New Year.
Nhan’s family described her as having a “warm smile” and said her kindness was “contagious.”
“She was a loving aunt, sister, daughter, and friend. Mymy was our biggest cheerleader,” the statement added. “Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. We appreciate the support of our neighbors and community.”
Dance Studios Under Fire
The suspected gunman, 72-year-old Huu Can Tran, opened fire at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio in Monterey Park at around 10 p.m. local time on Saturday, according to police. A witness said that Tran entered while they were dancing and opened fire; he left the building to get more ammunition before returning and continuing to fire.
Tran allegedly attempted to carry out another shooting at a separate dance club in Alhambra around 20 minutes later after leaving the Star Ballroom Dance Studio. But police said the hall’s owner Brandon Tsay disarmed Tran and he ran off.
After an overnight search, police cornered his white van in a Torrance parking lot on Sunday morning, where he took his own life with a gun before they could get to him. A video shared online showed the moment that police swarmed the vehicle. A handgun and evidence linked to the two dance club shootings were also recovered at the scene.
The suspect’s motive is unclear, but a prominent member of the local community has suggested that the incident may be connected to a domestic dispute. Chester Chong, a leader in the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, told ABC7 that the suspect’s wife had been invited to an event at the dance studio without him, leading Chong to speculate that jealousy may have played a role in the tragedy.
Death Toll Climbs
Initially, 10 people were reported to have died on the scene and 10 more were injured.
On Monday, a hospital treating four of the wounded, L.A. County-USC Medical Center (LAC+USC), confirmed that another victim had died, bringing the death toll to 11.
“Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we are saddened to share that one of the victims has succumbed to their extensive injuries. We want to express our deepest sympathies to their families and loved ones,” said LAC+USC chief executive Jorge Orozco in a statement.
He stated that three more victims are still receiving medical treatment at the hospital, with one of them in a serious condition, while the remaining two are recovering.
LA County Sheriff Robert Luna said on Monday that 42 shell casings were recovered from the studio as well as a large-capacity ammunition magazine.
Investigators also confiscated a rifle and various electronic devices from the suspect’s mobile home in a gated senior living community in the town of Hamet, about 80 miles east of Los Angeles, Luna said.
Luna said that the discovery and seizure of hundreds of rounds of ammunition from the dwelling led investigators to believe Tran was manufacturing homemade weapons silencers.
Reuters contributed to this report.
