A local sheriff said Sunday that the man responsible for killing 10 people Saturday night at a dance hall in California was found dead about 12 hours later, having killed himself in a white pickup truck, ending a police manhunt.

“The suspect was shot and pronounced dead at the scene,” Sheriff Robert Luna explained, describing the end of the chase with a gun fired from the alleged killer’s car as he apparently killed himself.

The man was identified as Hu Kang Tran Asianage 72 years.

“I can confirm that there are no other suspectsRegarding the massacre, Mr. Luna explained, adding that the motive for the Monterey Park attack remains unknown at this stage.

“The investigation is still ongoing. Homicide investigators are working around the clock to gather additional information and determine the motive for this extremely tragic event,” Sheriff Luna said.

The pursuit of the suspect, which was directly covered by some US media, ended about 40 kilometers from the city, where tragedy unfolded when law enforcement surrounded his van.

The police approached cautiously, then rushed in. The footage, taken by cameramen and AFP photojournalists, shows a body in the driver’s seat.

US President Joe Biden on Sunday night ordered flags to be flown at half-staff on all public buildings in memory of the victims of the massacre before sunset on Thursday, a White House press release said.

the pursuit

Responding to the first calls for immediate action on Saturday at 22:20 (local time; 08:20 Sunday Greek time), police found 10 people dead, five men and five women, in the ballroom. Another 10 people with injuries were taken to hospitals, where they are in a “stable” or “critical” condition.

CCTV footage shows the assailant was an Asian man wearing a black jacket, black and white wool cap and glasses.

On Sunday, ahead of the police tape in Monterey Park, residents filmed video on their cell phones as vendors began to gather at the Chinese New Year Market after the celebration was cancelled.

Shocked, they could not believe that such a massacre had taken place in this predominantly Asian city known for its peacefulness.

David Kwan found out what happened Sunday morning. “It’s sad,” said the Malaysian-born guard, still stunned. “I often encounter violence, but in different areas of Los Angeles. This is the first time I see her in my community.”

Police are still trying to verify reports of a second attack that same night on another dance hall in the nearby city of Alhambra.

“An Asian suspect entered the ballroom with a gun” but was wrested from him by two bystanders before he “escaped,” Sheriff Luna initially said.

The weapon found was not a rifle, he explained on Sunday, but a “semi-automatic assault pistol with a magazine” equipped with a “large-capacity magazine.”

The term “assault pistol” used by the sheriff is unusual to say the least.

Loaded with ammo

On Saturday evening, tens of thousands of people gathered to celebrate the Lunar New Year near the site of the Monterey Park massacre.

A nearby restaurant owner who spoke to the Los Angeles Times said three people broke into his store as the massacre was unfolding and asked him to lock the door.

They explained that they saw a man with a semi-automatic weapon loaded with ammunition in the area, the restaurant owner told the newspaper.

The US pays a heavy price for the widespread distribution of firearms on its territory and the ease with which Americans can gain access to them.

Also Saturday night, 12 people were hit by bullets at a nightclub in Louisiana’s capital, Baton Rouge, further proof, if any, that no place in the country is safe.

In 2021, about 49,000 people were killed by bullets in the US, a sad record for the second year in a row; 45,000 deaths were recorded in 2020. In other words, more than 130 deaths were recorded per day, more than half of which were suicides.

Source: RES-IPE