By: Emma Simon
An attack on this Saturday's Lunar New Year left 11 people killed and nine injured at The Star Ballroom Dance Studio in Monterey Park, California, turning a holiday into a tragedy. Twenty minutes after the shooting at the Ballroom, the suspect, Huu Can Tran, 72, showed up at a second dance studio in nearby Alhambra, still armed. A 26-year-old civilian attacked Tran, securing the gun and saving countless lives. The civilian called the police to the site, where officials could trace the weapon to Tran. On Sunday, Tran's van was located in Torrance, and after a standoff with police, he was found dead inside his van with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Law enforcement officials later searched his home. Hundreds of rounds of ammunition, a .308-caliber rifle, and various electronic devices and evidence were found Monday, leading officials to believe that the suspect was making firearm suppressors. However, it remains unclear what exactly motivated the attack on Saturday night. This shooting has led California Governor Gavin Newsom to renew his calls for stricter gun control.
Less than 48 hours after the Monterey Park shooting, another gunman killed seven people at two different places in Half Moon Bay, California on Monday. The first location was a mushroom farm where the suspect used to work where the evidence points to an instance of workplace violence. Police arrested the suspect, 66-year-old Zhao Chunli, in the parking lot at a San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. Officials said Chunli was taken into custody without incident and fully cooperated. Officials still do not know the motive for the shooting.
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