IDs Released For Some Monterey Park Mass Shooting Victims

MONTEREY PARK, CA — The names of the victims in Saturday's mass shooting at a dance studio in Monterey Park were starting to be released Monday by authorities and those who knew the deceased.

Among the dead were Mymy Nhan, a 65-year-old woman, and Lilan Li, a 63-year-old woman, according to the Los Angeles County coroner. Additionally, witnesses told KCAL that Ming Wei Ma, the owner of the studio where the attack occurred, was killed as he tried to stop the shooter.

In addition to Nhan and Li, the coroner's department said the other victims included a woman in her 50s, two women in their 60s, two men in their 60s and three men in their 70s. Their names are being withheld, pending notification of relatives.

All 10 were killed when 72-year-old Huu Can Tran opened fire, injuring another 10 people, at Star Ballroom Dance Studio in the 100 block of West Garvey Avenue following Saturday's Lunar New Year celebration, according to authorities. An 11th victim died at the hospital Monday morning.

Tran took his own life after he pulled his white van into a Torrance strip mall and was stopped by law enforcement Sunday. A handgun was recovered from the white van he had been driving, along with other potential evidence linking him to the killings. Luna described the weapon used as a "magazine-fed semi-automatic assault pistol."

A motive for the shooting was still unclear. "That is something that investigators were trying to learn," Luna said. "We want to know what the heck happened here."

There are reports, however, that cite law enforcement as saying the man had been looking for his wife.

Luna announced Sunday evening that of the 10 victims taken to area hospitals — including Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center — seven currently remained. He described the victims, living and dead, as "in their 50s, 60s and beyond."

Some 17 minutes after the Monterey Park attack, Tran entered the Lai Lai Ballroom & Studio in the 100 block of South Garfield Avenue in neighboring Alhambra.

Luna speculated that Tran was going to try to kill more people, "But two brave community members jumped into action and took his gun away," he said, adding that Tran then escaped. Luna told the New York Times the pistol used in the shooting was probably not legal to own in California. He said the license plates on the van Tran was driving were not legal, and were probably stolen.

On Sunday, Torrance police located a white van matching the suspect vehicle near Sepulveda and Hawthorne boulevards and attempted a traffic stop. The van entered a strip mall parking lot near Del Amo Fashion Center. When officers approached, they heard a single gunshot fired from within the vehicle.

Authorities made entry into the van shortly before 1 p.m. and found a man slumped in the driver's seat, dead from a gunshot wound. Luna said there was no initial evidence of any law enforcement official firing a weapon.

The attack coincided with a large celebration gathered nearby for the Lunar New Year. The city of Monterey Park canceled Sunday's planned second day of the two-day celebration, but other holiday events were still planned throughout Southern California. Luna said earlier on Sunday that he would attend a similar event that day, and encouraged the public to continue celebrating the holiday.

Police Chief Michel Moore said the Los Angeles Police Department "added patrols across our Asian communities today and will meet with any organizers hosting New Year celebrations."

The Long Beach Police Department also said its officers would increase patrols Sunday.

President Joe Biden ordered that U.S. flags be flown at half-staff through Jan. 26 out of respect for the victims.

Gov. Gavin Newsom tweeted that he spent time Sunday in Monterey Park meeting with leaders and people impacted by the tragedy.

"The strength of this community is incredible," Newsom said. "No other country in the world is terrorized by this constant stream of gun violence. We need real gun reform at a national level."

School districts in the Monterey Park area made plans for Monday to deal with fallout from the attack. Alhambra Unified School District schools will have a no pupil day Monday, according to its website.

Saturday's mass shooting included the most victims in Los Angeles County since 2008, when a disgruntled ex-husband killed 10 people, including himself, in Covina. It is the deadliest shooting in the U.S. since the massacre in Uvalde, Texas in May.

Anyone with further information about the shooting was asked to call sheriff's homicide detectives at 323-890-5500 or leave anonymous tips on the Crime Stoppers line at 800-222-8477.

City News Service contributed to this story.