Huu Can Tran, 72, of Hemet, California, is the suspected gunman responsible for the deaths of 10 people and injuries to 10 others when Tran opened fire on Star Ballroom Dance Studio, Saturday night, Jan. 21, in Monterey Park during the Lunar New Year celebration, the Year of the Rabbit. 

Tran was identified after he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound following a standoff with Torrance police Sunday, Jan. 22. He was surrounded in his van parked in a nearby parking lot. 

It’s another mass shooting in the news that millions are now too used to regularly hearing. 

According to the nonprofit research organization, the Gun Violence Archive, a mass shooting has to involve the death or injury of more than four people. 

By those standards, Monterey Park’s tragedy is the U.S.’s 33rd mass shooting just three weeks into the new year. They have identified 648 mass shootings in 2022, with 21 of them having more than five fatalities. The shooting also is now the United States’ deadliest mass shooting since the Uvalde tragedy last year, and L.A. County’s deadliest in history. 

The dance studio was having its own Lunar New Year celebration separate from the major two-day celebration held nearby where tens of thousands came down to enjoy a joyous occasion filled with food, music, and family. It is one of the largest gatherings in Southern California. 

In what is being considered to be a hate crime, the tragedy took place in Monterey Park, a community where historically and currently, a majority of its residents are of Asian descent. It was one of the first cities in the country to serve as an enclave for many Asians in California. 

As the community tries to somehow get back to a semblance of normalcy, at least for the immediate time, there is currently a joint GoFundMe account started by eight organizations to help victims of the tragedy: 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California, The Asian American Foundation, Asian Pacific Community Fund, Stop AAPI Hate, Gold House, Stand with Asian Americans, AAPI Equity Alliance, and Chinatown Service Center.

Titled the Monterey Park Lunar New Year Victims Fund, (https://www.gofundme.com/f/monterey-park-lunar-new-year-victims-fund) it has a monetary goal of $500,000. As of Monday afternoon, Jan. 23, more than $22,000 has been raised. Funds will go to the victims and all affected by the senseless tragedy. 

There is also another GoFundMe set up by Noah Reich on behalf of Los Angeles-based nonprofit, Classroom of Compassion, raising money for resources, supplies, and travel for the community. They will also be creating 10 public altars to honor the victims. 

Their fundraiser can be found here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/classroom-of-compassion-in-monterey-park-ca

With a current goal of $5,000, they have raised just shy of $4,000 in the one day it has been live. 

Investigations are still ongoing as officials look for a motive, and any other piece of evidence and information that can help them piece together the horrific event. Victims are starting to be identified, and according to investigators, the deceased were older people in their 50s, 60s and 70s. 

California Gov. Gavin Newsom visited the East L.A. community Sunday night where he called for national gun reform. 

“Spent time in Monterey Park today meeting with leaders and those impacted by this terrible tragedy. The strength of this community is incredible. No other country in the world is terrorized by this constant stream of gun violence. We need real gun reform at a national level,” he tweeted. 

President Joe Biden also spoke out on the violence Sunday night, reassuring the community of their commitment to helping. 

“Early this morning, I directed my Homeland Security Advisor to mobilize full federal support to local and state authorities as they continue to respond and investigate this shooting. As we await more crucial information from law enforcement, I want to assure the community of Monterey Park and the broader area that we will support you in every way we can,” the President said. 

While a motive is trying to be figured out, authorities have begun to release information regarding the identities of the deceased that include five women, My Nhan, 65, and Lilan Li, 63, along with two other women in their 60s and one in her 50s.