The manhunt continued in Monterey Park, Calif., for a gunman who opened fire Saturday night at a ballroom dance studio near a Lunar New Year festival, killing 10 people and wounding 10 others before that it possibly targeted a second ballroom and missed, investigators said Sunday. Morning.
There were still more questions than answers hours after the deadly shooting, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, who said few details were known about the suspect and the weapon used.
“The description we have now is of an Asian male,” Luna told reporters during a news conference. She stressed that it was a preliminary description, adding that the suspect’s age may be between 30 and 50 years old.
While Luna said authorities did not have definitive information on the firearm used because witnesses gave different descriptions, he told reporters that investigators at this time do not believe it was an assault rifle.
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Police officers outside a dance club in Monterey Park, California on Sunday, January 22, 2023. A mass shooting occurred at a dance club after the Lunar New Year celebration, sparking a manhunt for the suspect.
(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
During the conference, Luna added: “We need to get this person off the street as soon as possible.”
Several rounds were fired at the dance club before Monterey Park police arrived at the location in the 120 block of West Garvey Avenue around 10:22 p.m., Luna said.
Capt. Andrew Meyer of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau confirmed to reporters Sunday that people were “leaving the scene screaming” when deputies arrived. Responding officers entered the club without hesitation while firefighters sorted the injured outside.
Police personnel gather outside a dance club in Monterey Park, California on Sunday, January 22, 2023. A mass shooting occurred at the dance club after the Lunar New Year celebration, prompting a manhunt for the suspicious.
(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Police have confirmed that 10 victims, believed to be five men and five women, were pronounced dead at the scene, with an additional 10 victims being taken to local hospitals in various conditions ranging from stable to critical. No further details about the victims were immediately available.
Luna said detectives were also investigating another incident that may be related to the shooting that occurred about 20 minutes later at the Lai Lai dance hall in the nearby city of Alhambra.
A police officer exits his vehicle near a dance club in Monterey Park, California on Sunday, January 22, 2023. A mass shooting occurred at a dance club after the Lunar New Year celebration, sparking a pursuit of suspicion.
(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
A male Asian suspect entered the club with a firearm, which patrons seized from him, according to Luna. The suspect then fled the scene. No injuries were reported in the second incident.
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“Honestly, we don’t know the answer to that yet,” Luna said, referring to the possible connection between the two incidents. “It may or may not be.”
A police officer ties tape around a light pole in Monterey Park, California on Sunday, January 22, 2023. A mass shooting occurred at a dance club after the Lunar New Year celebration, prompting a search of the suspect.
(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Authorities said they could not release details about the firearm recovered at the scene in Alhambra, but said it could be the same weapon used in the deadly Monterey Park shooting.
When asked about a possible motive or whether the shooting could be a hate crime, Luna said detectives were “looking at all possibilities,” following up on multiple leads and interviewing dozens of witnesses.
Investigators said officials would have another update on the incident later Sunday.
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The Lunar New Year celebration in Monterey Park is one of the largest in California, drawing tens of thousands throughout the day. Most of the residents of Monterey Park, a city of about 60,000 people on the eastern edge of Los Angeles, are first-generation Asian immigrants from China or Asian-Americans.
Authorities said the Lunar festival scheduled to take place in Monterey Park later Sunday was canceled due to the shooting in the city.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
