On Saturday, Jan. 21, a gunman killed 10 folks and wounded 10 extra in a capturing in Monterey Park, CA, CNN confirmed. The capturing occurred at a dance studio close to the place town’s Asian-American group was collaborating in a Lunar New 12 months celebration.
At this stage, it is unclear if the mass capturing was a hate crime, however the motive remains to be being investigated. Because the capturing occurred, the AAPI group has been rocked. On Sunday, regulation enforcement officers launched a photograph of the suspect, who gave the impression to be an Asian male. Nevertheless, the suspect’s identify was not launched. Per CNN, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna stated that whilst regulation enforcement continues to search for the suspect, they’re additionally on the lookout for methods to assist these affected by tragedy. “As we’re on the lookout for the suspect, we is not going to neglect the victims and survivors,” he stated.
Within the wake of the mass capturing, anti-Asian hate coalition Cease AAPI Hate launched an announcement to the press. “After a day of celebration, we’re waking as much as a nightmare. That is devastating past phrases,” the assertion learn. “We can’t think about the ache that so many households are experiencing at this time.”
They continued, “At Cease AAPI Hate, many individuals on our employees know this group effectively and really feel related to it. Our hearts are with the family members of all these whose lives had been taken, those that had been injured, and the numerous others who had been shaken by concern that nobody ought to have needed to expertise. This great act of violence, on one of the crucial vital days of the yr for a lot of Asian Individuals, at a spot the place Asian American households come to assemble and rejoice, is sending shockwaves by way of our group. As we wrestle to course of the ache, we should additionally work to forestall this from ever taking place once more.”
Because the information of the tragedy broke, celebrities and politicians together with Vice President Kamala Harris, Simu Liu, and Ken Jeong have all spoken out concerning the mindless tragedy and supplied their assist to the victims and their households. Learn their statements forward.