Suspect in Monterey Park Mass Shooting Found Dead

The hours-long manhunt for the shooter who killed at least 10 people and injured 10 others after a Lunar New Year celebration in Monterey Park, California, Saturday night ended with the suspect dead, according to police.

SWAT teams joined local authorities in descending on Torrance, California, Sunday morning, surrounding a white van in a shopping center parking lot officials believed was connected to the shooting. Police had pulled it over about a half hour away from where the mass shooting occurred.

Los Angeles Sheriff Robert Luna said officers heard a single gunshot from inside the vehicle. Wearing tactical gear and armor, they approached the van just before 1 p.m. local time and found the suspect slumped over in his seat, dead.

Luna identified the 72-year-old suspect as Huu Can Tran, and said Tran died as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The hellish chain of events began late Saturday night at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio in Monterey Park. That’s where officials say Tran massacred five men and five women before leaving.

According to CBS News, about 30 minutes later, a man with a gun then went to the Lai Lai ballroom in the neighboring city of Alhambra, reportedly hoping to do the same thing, but patrons there wrestled the weapon away from him.

Officials say Tran was the sole suspect and they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident. 

On Twitter, President Biden wrote in part, “I’m monitoring this situation closely as it develops, and urge the community to follow guidance from local officials and law enforcement in the hours ahead.” He has ordered flags to fly at half staff in honor of the victims until sunset on Thursday.

Now investigators are trying to piece together why Tran tore through the ballroom dance studio, shattering so many lives.

Saturday night’s massacre makes for the fifth mass shooting of the month in the United States.

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