Torrance, California
CNN
—
An ongoing police standoff in Torrance, California is believed to be linked to the investigation into the bloodbath that killed 10 folks in Monterey Park, a legislation enforcement supply tells CNN.
Preliminary info from the bottom suggests police tried to cease a white cargo van that match the outline of a automobile which may be linked to the Saturday night time bloodbath in Monterey Park, legislation enforcement sources informed CNN.
As authorities ordered the occupant to depart the van, they heard a sound and believed the motive force might have shot himself however are continuing cautiously in case the occupant remains to be alive and armed.
For hours, authorities had been looking for the gunman who opened fireplace Saturday night time at a dance studio in Monterey Park as town’s giant Asian American neighborhood was celebrating Lunar New 12 months weekend.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Division launched pictures of the wished suspect.
Along with the ten folks killed, one other 10 folks had been wounded and hospitalized, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna stated.
“Who walks right into a dance corridor and weapons down 20 folks?” the sheriff stated.
Right here’s what we all know:
• A bunch of individuals wrestled a gun away from man described as an Asian male at a dance studio within the close by metropolis of Alhambra shortly after the Monterey Park mass taking pictures, Luna stated. The sheriff stated investigators are attempting to find out whether or not the 2 incidents are associated.
• Early info suggests the gunman who killed 10 folks in Monterey Park could also be an Asian male, the sheriff stated. Whereas “the outline we have now now’s of a male Asian,” some witnesses’ descriptions of the gunman have differed, Luna stated. He cautioned the investigation is ongoing. “There really is much more that we don’t know than what we all know right now,” Luna stated.
• It’s nonetheless too quickly to rule out hate crime as a attainable motive, the sheriff stated Sunday. “The whole lot’s on the desk.”
• Officers responded to a dance studio round 10:22 p.m. Saturday and located folks “pouring out of the situation, screaming,” stated Capt. Andrew Meyer of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Division.
• The bloodbath occurred within the Star Ballroom Dance Studio, in response to a CNN evaluation.
• The ten slain victims had been pronounced useless on the scene, Meyer stated. “There have been a minimum of 10 different victims who had been transported to quite a few native hospitals and are listed in varied situations from steady to important,” Meyer stated.
The carnage unfolded close to Monterey Park’s Lunar New 12 months pageant, which was scheduled to happen till 9 p.m. on Garvey Avenue between Garfield and Alhambra avenues.
About 65% of Monterey Park’s residents are of Asian descent, in response to the US Census Bureau.
“Monterey Park ought to have had an evening of festivity of the Lunar New 12 months. As an alternative, they had been the victims of a horrific and heartless act of gun violence,” Gov. Gavin Newsom tweeted.
Whereas it’s too early to say whether or not the bloodbath was a hate crime, the affect has already been felt amongst one of many largest Asian American and Pacific Islander communities within the US, the mayor of close by Alhambra stated.
“To have this tragedy happen on Lunar New 12 months weekend, makes this particularly painful,” Alhambra Mayor Sasha Renée Pérez tweeted.
“Monterey Park is dwelling to one of many largest #AAPI communities within the nation. This can be a time when residents needs to be celebrating with household, mates and family members – not fearing gun violence.”
Monterey Park, about 7 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, has been recognized to host Lunar New 12 months occasions drawing greater than 100,000 folks from throughout Southern California, in response to town.
It’s not clear how many individuals had been nonetheless gathered within the space when pictures had been fired.
The native Lunar New 12 months pageant which started Saturday and was scheduled to final into Sunday has been canceled, Monterey Park Police Chief Scott Wiese stated Sunday.
“Out of an abundance of warning and reverence for the victims, we’re canceling the occasion that’s going to occur later at this time,” Wiese stated.
Authorities are asking the general public for any clues that will assist with the investigation. These with info can contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Division’s Murder Bureau at 323-890-5500 or present an nameless tip to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).
The bloodbath in Monterey Park marks a minimum of the thirty third mass taking pictures within the US thus far this month, in response to the Gun Violence Archive. Each the non-profit and CNN outline a mass taking pictures as one wherein 4 or extra individuals are shot, excluding the shooter.
