MONTEREY PARK, California — Asian Americans have been reeling Tuesday after two mass shootings in California concentrating on members of their neighborhood left 18 folks lifeless—with the alleged gunmen in each instances being older males of Asian descent.
The killings got here in a span of simply 48 hours—so shut collectively that California governor Gavin Newsom was at a hospital assembly with victims of the primary when he was pulled away to be briefed concerning the second.
“Tragedy upon tragedy,” he tweeted.
The carnage prompted US President Joe Biden to resume requires Congress to behave rapidly on an assault weapons ban. A bunch of senators on Monday reintroduced a federal assault weapons ban and laws that may increase the minimal buy age for assault weapons to 21.
China’s international ministry referred to as for its residents within the United States to “pay close attention to the local security situation” and “avoid going to places where people gather” within the wake of the killings.
Investigators have been nonetheless probing the motives behind the 2 incidents, which stood out among the many scourge of mass shootings in America each for the neighborhood impacted—gun violence is often seen as uncommon amongst Asians and Asian Americans—and for the age of the suspects, 67 and 72.
The nonpartisan Violence Project says 79 % of mass shooters from 1966-2020 have been below the age of 45. It says a mere 6.4 % of mass shooters in that point are Asian.
The Monday bloodshed occurred at two farms round Half Moon Bay, a coastal neighborhood south of San Francisco.
San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus stated seven folks have been killed and one wounded within the shootings, and that 67-year-old Half Moon Bay resident named Chunli Zhao had been taken into custody.
Reports stated the lifeless have been Chinese farmworkers, and that Zhao had labored at one of many farms.
Corpus stated deputies had been dispatched to 2 nurseries round Half Moon Bay, a rural spot identified for browsing contests and a pumpkin pageant, round mid-afternoon on Monday.
Four folks have been lifeless at one among them and one was critically wounded, whereas three extra fatally wounded victims have been discovered at a second location.
Corpus stated youngsters have been current at one of many websites.
“It was in the afternoon when kids were out of school and for children to witness it is unspeakable,” she stated.
Corpus stated Zhou then drove to a sheriff’s substation in Half Moon Bay, the place ABC7 crews captured dramatic footage of him being pulled to the bottom by armed officers.
“Zhao was taken into custody without incident and a semi-automatic handgun was located in his vehicle,” Corpus stated.
‘Last dance’
That tragedy unfolded as detectives in southern California have been nonetheless probing what drove 72-year-old Huu Can Tran to shoot lifeless 11 folks gathered for Lunar New Year at a suburban dance corridor on Saturday night time.
He then drove to a second close by dance corridor, however was tackled and disarmed by an worker there in a transfer officers have credited with saving lives.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna stated Tran, who had been arrested in 1994 for illegal possession of a firearm, fired 42 rounds within the assault in Monterey Park.
“What drove a madman to do this?” he stated.
Luna confirmed officers had been instructed Tran could have been identified to a few of his victims.
Information about Tran remained unclear. CNN reported that, in accordance with his marriage license, he had immigrated from China; whereas the New York Times cited immigration paperwork saying he was a naturalized US citizen of Vietnamese origin.
The household of one among his victims, 65-year-old My Nhan stated the tragedy was “still sinking in.”
“She spent so many years going to the dance studio in Monterey Park on weekends,” a press release stated.
“It’s what she loved to do. But unfairly, Saturday was her last dance.” — AFP
