Huu Can Tran and the 2023 Monterey Park Massacre
Background
Huu Can Tran was a 72-year-old former dance-hall patron who carried out a mass shooting in Monterey Park, California, on January 21, 2023. The attack occurred during Lunar New Year celebrations in a community known for its large Asian American population. Tran murdered 11 people and wounded nine others at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio before attempting to enter another dance venue in nearby Alhambra.
Tran had previously worked as a truck driver and had lived in several communities in California and Texas. He was familiar with the ballroom-dancing scene in the San Gabriel Valley and had regularly attended the Star Ballroom Dance Studio years before the shooting. People who encountered him at dance venues described him as someone who sometimes presented himself as a dance instructor. Investigators examined reports that he had personal grievances connected to the ballroom, but authorities never established a definitive motive for the massacre.
The Star Ballroom Dance Studio Shooting
At approximately 10:22 p.m. on Saturday, January 21, 2023, Tran arrived at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio on West Garvey Avenue in Monterey Park. The surrounding area had hosted a large Lunar New Year festival earlier that day, and people were still gathered inside the ballroom for an evening of dancing and socializing.
Tran entered the building armed with a Cobray M-11/9 semiautomatic pistol equipped with an extended-capacity magazine. The weapon resembled a compact submachine gun but operated as a semiautomatic firearm. Authorities later reported that Tran fired approximately 42 rounds during the attack.
The first shots were fired near the entrance and parking area. Mymy Nhan, who was sitting in a vehicle with her longtime dance partner, was struck and killed. Tran then moved farther into the ballroom and repeatedly fired at people gathered on the dance floor and elsewhere inside the studio. Witnesses described scenes of confusion as patrons dropped to the floor, hid beneath tables or attempted to escape through the exits.
Monterey Park police officers arrived within minutes of the first emergency call. They encountered survivors fleeing the building and discovered numerous victims throughout the ballroom. Ten people were pronounced dead at the scene. Other victims were transported to hospitals, where Diana Man Ling Tom later died from her injuries on January 22, 2023. Nine people survived with gunshot wounds or other injuries.
The Victims
- Valentino Marcos Alvero, 68 — Killed on January 21, 2023, at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio in Monterey Park, California. Alvero was a Filipino American grandfather who enjoyed ballroom dancing and frequently visited the studio.
- Hongying Jian, 62 — Killed on January 21, 2023, at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio. She was remembered by relatives as a devoted wife, mother and grandmother.
- Yu Lun Kao, 72 — Killed on January 21, 2023, inside the Monterey Park ballroom. He was among the older patrons attending the evening dance gathering.
- Lilan Li, 63 — Killed on January 21, 2023, at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio. She was a regular participant in the local ballroom-dancing community.
- Ming Wei Ma, 72 — Killed on January 21, 2023, at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio, where he worked as the ballroom's manager and dance instructor. Witnesses and friends said Ma attempted to confront the gunman and protect others during the attack.
- Mymy Nhan, 65 — Killed on January 21, 2023, near the entrance to the Star Ballroom Dance Studio. Nhan was a longtime ballroom dancer who had visited the studio for many years.
- Muoi Dai Ung, 67 — Killed on January 21, 2023, inside the Star Ballroom Dance Studio. She was remembered as a caring family member who enjoyed dancing and spending time with friends.
- Chia Ling Yau, 76 — Killed on January 21, 2023, at the Monterey Park dance hall. He was one of the oldest victims of the massacre.
- Wen-Tau Yu, 64 — Killed on January 21, 2023, inside the Star Ballroom Dance Studio. Yu was a former educator and community member who enjoyed ballroom dancing.
- Xiujuan Yu, 57 — Killed on January 21, 2023, at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio. She was the youngest of the 11 people murdered during the attack.
- Diana Man Ling Tom, 70 — Shot at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio on January 21, 2023. She was taken to a Los Angeles County hospital and died from her injuries on January 22, 2023.
The Attempted Second Attack in Alhambra
After leaving the Star Ballroom Dance Studio, Tran drove approximately three miles to the Lai Lai Ballroom and Studio on South Garfield Avenue in Alhambra. He entered the building roughly 20 minutes after the Monterey Park shooting while carrying another firearm.
Brandon Tsay, whose family operated the ballroom, saw Tran enter the lobby with the weapon. Tsay confronted him and struggled with him at close range. After an intense physical fight, Tsay managed to seize the gun. Tran fled after Tsay pointed the weapon at him and ordered him to leave.
Tsay's intervention prevented Tran from entering the main ballroom, where additional people were gathered. Police officials credited Tsay with stopping a probable second mass shooting and saving numerous lives. The firearm recovered at Lai Lai Ballroom helped investigators identify Tran as the Monterey Park gunman.
The Manhunt and Tran's Death
Tran escaped in a white 1999 Chevrolet Express cargo van. Law-enforcement agencies began searching for him throughout Los Angeles County. During the late morning of January 22, 2023, officers located the van in a parking lot in Torrance, approximately 30 miles southwest of Monterey Park.
As police surrounded the vehicle, they heard a gunshot from inside. Members of a tactical team approached and found Tran suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene. A handgun was recovered from the van, along with other items examined during the investigation.
Authorities determined that Tran acted alone and announced that no additional suspects were being sought. Because he died before he could be questioned, investigators were unable to obtain a direct explanation for why he selected the Star Ballroom Dance Studio or why he attempted to continue the attack at Lai Lai Ballroom.
Weapons and Investigation
The principal weapon used in the Star Ballroom attack was a Cobray M-11/9 semiautomatic pistol fitted with an extended magazine. Investigators also examined evidence that the firearm had been modified and equipped with a homemade suppressor. The weapon Tran carried into the Alhambra ballroom was taken from him by Brandon Tsay, while another handgun was found in the van in Torrance.
Investigators searched Tran's residence and reviewed his personal history, prior contacts with law enforcement, firearm records and relationships within the ballroom-dancing community. Authorities learned that he had once been a regular presence at the Star Ballroom and had expressed complaints about people associated with the studio. However, investigators found no clear evidence establishing that the victims had been individually selected.
Several weeks before the massacre, Tran had visited a police station in Hemet, California, and made allegations that members of his family had attempted to poison or defraud him many years earlier. Police advised him to return with evidence, but he did not provide documentation supporting the accusations. Investigators considered this incident while examining his mental state, although no single factor was publicly identified as the cause of the shooting.
Community Impact
The massacre occurred on the eve of Lunar New Year, a major cultural celebration for many residents of Monterey Park and surrounding communities. The city canceled the remainder of its festival as families waited for information about missing or injured relatives. Vigils and memorials were established near the Star Ballroom Dance Studio, where residents placed flowers, photographs and messages honoring those who were killed.
The victims were primarily older adults who viewed the ballroom as a social refuge and community gathering place. Many had attended dances there for years. The killings devastated families across the United States and Asia and caused widespread fear among Asian American communities already concerned about violence directed at older residents.
The attack became the deadliest mass shooting in Los Angeles County history. It also drew attention to the rapid actions of first responders, medical personnel and civilians, particularly Brandon Tsay, whose confrontation with Tran prevented the gunman from continuing his massacre at a second location.
Aftermath
The Star Ballroom Dance Studio remained closed following the shooting, and the building became a focal point for public mourning. Families remembered the victims as parents, grandparents, spouses, teachers, business owners and dedicated dancers whose lives were centered on family and community rather than the violence that ended them.
Because Tran killed himself before his arrest, there was no criminal trial and no opportunity for prosecutors to present a complete account of his intentions in court. The investigation concluded that he was responsible for the deaths of 11 people and the wounding of nine others. His attempted entry into the Lai Lai Ballroom demonstrated that the violence likely would have continued had he not been disarmed.
The Monterey Park massacre remains one of the most devastating acts of mass violence in California history. The tragedy is remembered not only for the number of people killed, but also for the destruction of a place that had provided friendship, music and companionship to generations of dancers in the San Gabriel Valley.
