On September 8, 2020, Mathew Hak, a 50-year-old resident of Long Beach, California, was tragically shot and killed outside his home. The incident occurred around 7:00 a.m. when Long Beach Police Officers responded to reports of shots fired in the area of 10th Street and Cherry Avenue. Upon arrival, officers found Hak lying in the front yard of his residence, suffering from at least one gunshot wound to the upper torso.
Despite immediate life-saving efforts by the officers and the Long Beach Fire Department personnel, Hak was pronounced dead at the scene.
The preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect, identified as 53-year-old Kontharo Kang, confronted Hak outside his home before firing his firearm, striking Hak and a nearby residence. No other injuries were reported. The motive for the shooting is believed to be related to accusations of domestic violence and an assault involving Hak's relatives. These incidents had been reported to the Long Beach Police Department on June 10, 2020, and August 4, 2020, respectively, and were still under active investigation at the time of Hak's death.
Later that day, at approximately 4:50 p.m., detectives located Kang at a relative's residence in the 2800 block of E 63rd Street and took him into custody. Kang was booked into the Long Beach City jail on charges of murder and was held on $2,000,000 bail. The investigation into the murder of Mathew Hak continued, with detectives seeking additional information from the public to aid in their inquiries. Anyone with information was encouraged to contact Homicide Detectives or submit anonymous tips through various channels.
The tragic death of Mathew Hak and the subsequent arrest of Kontharo Kang highlighted the ongoing issues of domestic violence and its devastating consequences. The case drew attention to the need for continued efforts to address and prevent such incidents within the community.
