How You Can Help Survivors After the Lunar New Year Shooting in Monterey Park
On Saturday night, the Monterey Park, California, community experienced its most brutal attack to date—in the midst of Lunar New Year celebrations, a gunman burst into a ballroom dance hall and killed 10 residents.
Among the deceased were five women and five men. At least 10 others were wounded.
The festival was the most attended Lunar New Year celebration in the majority Chinese-American city near Los Angeles since before the coronavirus pandemic, drawing a crowd of about 100,000 people, Mayor Pro Tem Jose told reporters. Following the tragedy, the Sunday celebrations were canceled.
A few minutes after the Star Ballroom Dance Studio shooting, the gunman—identified by police as a 72-year-old Asian man—made his way to another dance studio, Lai Lai Ballroom in nearby Alhambra, and was disarmed by a group of people, including a young man who spoke to ABC News about the incident. The shooter then fled in a van and took his own life as police closed in on him, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said Sunday, per ABC.
See below for ways you can help Monterey Park residents, survivors, and families of the deceased following the horrific shooting.
Donate
GoFundMe launched a page dedicated to supporting the people and families affected by the January 21 shooting. In it, one can see the verified fundraises for the cause. So far, there are two:
The Monterey Park Lunar New Year Victims Fund is gathering donations to help the "many individuals who are now suffering from this senseless violence." The fundraiser is being organized by Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California, The Asian American Foundation, Asian Pacific Community Fund, Stop AAPI Hate, Gold House, Stand with Asian Americans, AAPI Equity Alliance, and Chinatown Service Center.
The Los Angeles-based nonprofit Classroom of Compassion is raising money for resources, supplies, and travel for the community. The organization will also be creating 10 public altars to honor the lives lost in the Lunar New Year massacre.
The GoFundMe page will be updated with more fundraisers as they are verified.
Support
Soon after the shooting, the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management set up a Family Assistance Center at the Langley Senior Center located at 400 West Emerson Avenue for anyone looking to obtain mental health resources. People can also call the @LACDMH 24/7 Help Line at (800) 854-7771.
On Sunday, members of the Los Angeles City and FBI crisis response teams, the county Department of Mental Health, and the Red Cross came together at the center to provide food, aid, and mental health services for survivors. The Red Cross is always open to donations here.
A memorial honoring the victims has been established at the Monterey Park City Hall located at 320 W. Newmark Avenue for the community to mourn, per the city's website.
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