Monterey Park Shooting Suspect, 72-Year Old Man, Died from Self-Inflicted Gun Shot Wound

The suspect in Saturday night’s tragic mass shooting at a dance studio in Monterey Park, California, was discovered dead Sunday afternoon in a van about 30 miles away.

72-year old, Huu Can Tran, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna identified the suspect. He was found in Torrance after a daylong search, and fatally shot himself after law enforcement used armored vehicles to pin the white van he was driving.

Luna offered no motive for the attack, which killed 10 people and injured at least 10 more. Police are still investigating if this was a random act of violence.

The shooting took place at about 10:20 p.m. in Monterey Park, which is about seven miles east of downtown Los Angeles.

The attack occurred on the eve of the Lunar New Year, a major holiday in many Asian communities. Earlier in the day, tens of thousands of people had gathered in the area to celebrate the holiday.

The suspect fled immediately after the shooting and was at large through mid-day Sunday. Authorities released photos of the suspect as they searched for him.

The 10 fatal victims have not been publicly identified, but authorities have said that five men and five women were killed in the attack.

“The injured victims were transported to multiple hospitals,” Capt. Andrew Meyer of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said at an earlier press conference Sunday morning. “The injured victims were listed in various conditions, from stable to critical.”

Luna added, “The suspect tried to carry out a second attack in the neighboring city of Alhambra. Approximately 20 to 30 minutes after the Monterey Park shooting, the suspect walked into a dance studio in Alhambra with a gun, but was disarmed by two heroes, who wrestled his weapon from him.”

Monterey Park, in Los Angeles County, has a population of about 60,000 people, 65% of whom are Asian. In the 1990s, the city claimed to be the first city in the continental United States where the majority of residents were of Asian descent.

After the shooting, Monterey Park Mayor Henry Lo said, “We want to express our condolences to the victims and their families. It is important for us to be there for them and provide the support they need for what will be a time of healing in the next months and years. It has been comforting to see the support that has been here for our community and our families. This is a diverse community.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote on Twitter, “Monterey Park should have had a night of joyful celebration of the Lunar New Year. Instead, they were the victims of a horrific and heartless act of gun violence. Our hearts mourn as we learn more about the devastating acts of last night. We are monitoring the situation closely.”