How many people died in Monterey Park shooting? Victims identified in the wake of tragedy

On Tuesday, January 24, the Los Angeles County coroner announced the names of the 11 victims who were killed in the Monterey Park shooting.

On January 21, 72-year-old Huu Can Tran allegedly shot 20 people at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio in Monterey Park, killing 11 of them. He then attempted to carry out a second attack at the Lai Lai Ballroom in Alhambra, only to be stopped by a bystander. Hours after the killing spree, the suspect committed suicide after a standoff with California authorities.

CNN reported that the deceased victims of the attack, all of whom were middle-aged or older, were attending a Lunar New Year event at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio. Out of the 11 victims, six were women. They were named as Xiujuan Yu (57), Hongying Jian (62), Lilan Li (63), My My Nhan (65), Muoi Dai Ung (67), and Diana Man Ling Tom (70).

The male victims were identified as Wen Tau Yu (64), Valentino Marcos Alvero (68), Yu Lun Kao (72), Ming Wei Ma (72), and Chia Ling Yau (76).

Authorities have not confirmed the motive behind the Monterey Park shooting.

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Family members comment on the victims of the Monterey Park shooting

In the aftermath of the Monterey Park shooting, many friends and family members of the victims addressed the legacies of the deceased.

The family of one victim, My My Nhan, released an official statement regarding her death. The statement read:

“She spent so many years going to the dance studio in Monterey Park on weekends. It’s what she loved to do. But unfairly, Saturday was her last dance. We are starting the Lunar New Year broken. We never imagined her life would end so suddenly."

It continued:

“Mymy was 65 years old. If you knew her, you knew her warm smile and kindness was contagious. She was a loving aunt, sister, daughter and friend. Mymy was our biggest cheerleader.”

Valentine Marcos Alvero's family noted that, like many of the victims, he was a passionate dancer who was often seen at the Star Ballroom before his death. The statement read:

“(He was) a loving father, a dedicated son and brother, a grandfather who loved his three granddaughters fiercely, an uncle who loved his nieces and nephews like his own. He loved ballroom dancing, he loved his community, and was the life of any party."

The last victim to die from injuries sustained in the massacre was Diana Man Ling Tom, who passed in the hospital on Sunday, January 22.

Her family's statement read:

“To those who knew her, she was someone who always went out of her way to give to others. (She was a) hard-working mother, wife, and grandmother who loved to dance."

BBC reported that the suspected gunman in the Monterey Park shooting was also a regular patron of the Star Ballroom studio.

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