The victims of Saturday’s mass shooting at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio included a beloved manager and many longtime regulars who were excited to ring in the Lunar New Year at the popular dance hall.
Eleven people were killed and nine others were injured in the massacre in Monterey Park, California, authorities said, making it one of the state’s deadliest mass shootings in modern history. The dead were in their 50s, 60s and 70s, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.
Hundreds of mourners gathered outside the Monterey Park City Hall on Tuesday night to honor the lives lost.
Reflecting the immense diversity of the region, prayers were said in several different languages, including Cantonese, Taiwanese, English and Spanish. A White House official shared a personal message from President Joe Biden, who told the crowd the nation was keeping them in its prayers.
“To the loved ones left behind, no one should ever have to experience the deep gripping sorrow you are feeling or endure the despair of yet another senseless act of violence,” the statement read in part.
The coroner’s office released a full list of the victims Tuesday.
Ming Wei Ma, 72
Ma was “an always wonderful” dance instructor who played a role in running the studio, said Daniel Buhala, a co-owner of Dance Around the Clock studio in nearby Monrovia. Buhala met Ma about five years ago.
“When people came, he was always welcoming. ‘You want a coffee? You want this, you want that?’ He was always taking care of people,” Buhala said.
Buhala said Star Ballroom has a “huge dance floor” and frequently hosts parties and other social events. On Saturday, the dance studio in the majority-Asian community was packed with revelers.
Eric Chen, a pastor and educator who lives in San Gabriel, said the massacre was particularly shocking because the dance studio had always been a place where everyone felt comfortable. He had known Ma, the dance instructor, since December 2021.
“He always…
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