On a tragic spring morning in Binghamton, New York, the life of Hong Xiu 'Amy' Mao Marsland was cut short in an act of mass violence. On April 3, 2009, a gunman attacked the American Civic Association on Front Street, a place dedicated to helping immigrants and refugees settle into their new lives. Marsland, a 35-year-old nail technician who had immigrated from China, was among the thirteen people fatally shot that day.
The perpetrator was 41-year-old Jiverly Wong, a former student at
the center. He barricaded the back door of the building with his car before entering through the front, armed with two handguns. He then began shooting, targeting a citizenship class and the people within it. The attack was swift and devastating, leaving a community in shock and mourning. After a rampage that lasted only a few minutes, Wong took his own life.
The investigation that followed revealed a troubled history for the gunman, who was reportedly motivated by a paranoid sense of being persecuted and difficulties with his English language skills. Because Wong committed suicide at the scene, there was no arrest or subsequent trial. The incident was a murder-suicide, leaving behind a legacy of loss for the families of the victims and the Binghamton community. A memorial now stands to honor the thirteen lives lost, including that of Hong Xiu 'Amy' Mao Marsland.
