Police in California responded to reports of a shooting that occurred after a large New Year’s celebration in Monterey Park, an east Los Angeles community.
According to multiple media reports, the shooting took place in Monterey Park just after 10 p.m., with a witness telling the LA Times that they believe the shooting took place at a local dance club.
LA City Comptroller Kenneth Mejia, a local government official in Los Angeles, posted a tweet expressing his condolences after the news broke.
“Our hearts go out to those who lost loved ones tonight in our neighboring town of Monterey Park where a mass shooting just occurred,” he tweeted. “Monterey Park is home to one of the largest Asian communities in Los Angeles County, many of which celebrate the Lunar New Year.”
Many details of the shooting are still unclear, including the number of victims. However, the LA Times reports that there were deaths in internal police communications.
A witness named Seung Won Choi, owner of a restaurant near the shooting, told the LA Times that three people rushed into his restaurant and told him to lock his door.
The newspaper also reports that people told Choi that there was a gunman in the area with a machine gun and several shots.
Earlier in the day, thousands of people gathered in Monterey Park for the Lunar New Year Festival. Saturday marked the start of the two-day festival, which is one of Southern California’s largest Lunar New Year events, the AP reported.
The Monterey Park government website says that last Lunar New Year events at Monterey Park “attracted crowds estimated at more than 100,000 visitors per day from across Southern California.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Writer: Zac Ntim
Source: Deadline
Bernice Bonaparte is an author and entertainment journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a passion for pop culture and a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest entertainment news, Bernice has become a trusted source for information on the entertainment industry.
