New year, same issues: Lunar New Year shootings

The Lunar New Year is a time to celebrate, renew, and welcome the new year for many families. However, tragedy struck amidst celebrations in the communities of Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay in California. On Jan. 22 inside a dance studio in Monterey Park, eleven people were shot and killed while celebrating the Lunar New Year. Two days later, on Jan. 24, seven people were killed at two farms in Half Moon Bay. 

The Monterey Park shooting occurred at a dance studio where local community members had gathered to celebrate Lunar New Year. It began shortly after 10:00 pm in Star Ballroom Dance Studio on West Garvey Avenue and quickly escalated, leaving eleven people dead and several others injured. Twenty minutes later, the shooter walked into Lai Lai Ballroom and Studio in Alhambra with the intent to kill but was disarmed by community members. Tran was identified as the shooter and was found dead in a strip mall parking lot near Sepulveda and Hawthorne boulevards in Torrance from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at 10:00 am the next morning. He was found with a magazine-fed semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine that is illegal to own. 

“We still are not clear on the motive,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna. Authorities are still investigating the shooter’s motive and are working on figuring out what happened that night. 

The shooting deeply impacted the community in Monterey Park. Many people knew the victims and are struggling to deal with losing their friends and loved ones. Vigils and memorial services to honor the victims and support their families were held by the local community. In the wake of the shooting, people have been seeking answers and seeking to understand why this tragedy happened.

Mere days after the shooting in Monterey Park, another mass shooting occurred in Half Moon Bay, California. The shooting occurred at two different farms, Mountain Mushroom Farm and Concord Farms, with seven fatalities and one other injured. San Mateo County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to Mountain Mushroom Farm at 2:22 pm, where four were shot and one seriously injured. Only a few miles away, three more victims were found dead at Concord Farms. Chunli Zhao was identified as the shooter, a 66-year-old man who lived in the area. At 4:40 pm he was located in his vehicle and taken into custody. Similarly, the motive behind the shooting is unknown. 

The victims were farm workers of Asian and Mexican descent who had come to the United States in search of a better life and to work and support their families. They were hardworking individuals, deeply rooted in their community; their loss left many grieving.

The Lunar New Year shootings in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay have sent shockwaves through the Asian American and immigrant communities in California. These shootings have only added to the concerns of communities that have had long histories of insecurity, fear, and vulnerability. Many people are seeking answers to try to understand what happened and why.

These shootings have also been brought into larger conversations about gun violence in the United States. They once again highlighted the need for stricter gun laws and greater resources to prevent gun violence. The victims’ families and communities are now left to deal with the aftermath of these shootings; many are calling for change to prevent similar tragedies.