Gunman Commits Suicide after Killing 10 at Ballroom Dance Studio
Tragedy struck Saturday night when a gunman killed 10 and injured 10 others in a mass shooting at a dance studio.
The suspect, later identified as 72-year-old Huu Can Tran, opened fire at those attending a dance class at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio, killing five men and five women. Ten others were wounded, with seven being treated at a local hospital. Their conditions range from stable to critical.
According to the New York Post, the victims are believed to be of Asian descent and were about 50 years of age or older. The Asian American community had been celebrating the Lunar New Year in the city over the weekend.
Tran, who was once a patron at Star Ballroom Dance Studio, is believed to have attempted to carry out another mass shooting at a “rival” dance hall studio, Lai Lai Ballroom, in nearby Alhambra, but was disarmed by two people at that location.
On Sunday, police found Tran as he was driving a white cargo van. They followed him to a shopping mall parking lot, where he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Following an hour-long standoff, a SWAT team opened the vehicle’s doors and found the suspected gunman slumped over in his seat.
The mass shooting is the deadliest in the United States since the 2022 mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, where 21 people – many of whom were children – were killed.
Early Monday morning, the Star Ballroom Dance Studio announced that all classes were canceled. The studio will also be closed “until further notice.”
“Thank you for your prayers and thoughts during this difficult time. What should have been a festive night to welcome the first day of the Lunar New Year turned into a tragedy. Our heart goes out to all the victims, survivors, and their families,” the studio wrote on Facebook. “In this time of healing, we hope that all those who were affected have the space to grieve and process what transpired within the last 24 hours. In the meantime, all classes will be canceled, and the studio will be closed until further notice.”
Meanwhile, Lai Lai Ballroom said their studio would suspend its events. It also closed its doors on Sunday out of respect for the shooting victims at the Star Dance studio but resumed its lessons on Monday.
“In observance of the tragedy at Star Dance last night, Lai Lai Ballroom will be closed today. Tea and night dances are suspended until further notice,” the statement read.
“Lai Lai will reopen Monday for lessons only. As an extra precaution, all students and teachers are subject to search prior to entering the studio. Our prayers go out to all the victims’ families.”
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Eric Thayer/Stringer
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for Christian Headlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
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