Monterey Park Mass Shooting Leaves at Least Ten Dead on Lunar New Year

At least ten people have been confirmed dead after a shooting in Monterey Park, California, on Saturday night.

Law enforcement were called to the scene at Garvey Avenue at 10.22pm local time, according to information published by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

LA County Sheriff Captain Andrew Meyer then told a news conference that 10 people had been killed outside a dance club, and a further 10 were being treated in hospital. The conditions of the 10 injured ranged from critical to stable.

The Sheriff’s Department initially described the shooter as male, but gave no further information, including a possible motive. Addressing the media, Meyer then said the shooter has not been apprehended.

He added it was too early to determine whether the incident was a hate crime, or whether it was targeted. Monterey Park has a population of approximately 60,000, with the city’s Asian community making up more than 65 percent of the residents, according to 2020 statistics published by the city.

Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations had been held in the area just before the incident at 100 W Garvey Avenue took place.

Homicide detectives have been called in to assist the Monterey Park Police Department in its inquiries. Newsweek has contacted Monterey Park PD for comment.

Footage posted to social media appeared to show one person being loaded onto an ambulance on a stretcher. Another video widely circulating on Twitter showed several law enforcement vehicles gathered at the scene.

Monterey Park had celebrated Chinese Lunar New Year that evening, with the city east of Los Angeles marking the occasion across the weekend.

Events began at 10am local time on Saturday, and were scheduled to finish for the day at 9pm. A second day of celebrations on Sunday had been planned from 10am until 7pm at Garvey Avenue.

The city’s previous Lunar New Year events attracted more than 100,000 visitors each day, the city’s official page said.

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