The victims of Saturday’s mass shooting at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio included a beloved manager and many regulars who were excited to celebrate the Lunar New Year at the popular ballroom.
Eleven people were killed and nine others 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 between the ages of 50, 60 and 70, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.
The coroner’s office released a full list of the victims Tuesday. Among the confirmed dead was Ming Wei Ma, 72, an “always wonderful” dance instructor who played a role in running the studio, said Daniel Buhala, co-owner of the Dance Around the Clock studio in nearby Monrovia. Buhala met Ma about five years ago.
“When people came, he was always welcoming. Want a coffee? Do you want this, do you want that? He was always taking care of people,” Buhala said in an interview.
Buhala said Star Ballroom has a «big dance floor» and often hosts parties and other social events. On Saturday, the dance studio in the largely Asian community was packed with revelers.
Jeff Liu had been dancing in the ballroom with his wife, Hong Jian, who used Nancy as her English name. He heard loud gunshots, which for a few seconds he assumed were fireworks for the New Year’s celebration.
He then saw Nancy, mortally wounded, fall to the ground, he said.
«I’m calling my wife, ‘Look, look, wake up, wake up!'» said Liu, who suffered a shoulder injury from the gunshots.
Nancy was 62 years old and loved volleyball, dancing, singing, and music. The couple had been going to the dance studio for about a decade, Liu said. They have a daughter and were married for almost 40 years.
In addition to Ma and Liu’s wife, the coroner’s office identified the victims as:
- My Nhan, 65
- Liliana Li, 63 years old
- Xiujuan Yu, 57
- Muoi Ung, 67
- Yukao, 72
- Chia Yau, 76
- Valentino Alvero, 68
- Wen Yu, 64
- Diana Tom, 70
Nhan’s family said in Twitter who had been going to the studio for years.
«I’m still sinking into what happened to Mymy,» they said, adding: «If you knew her, you knew her warm smile and kindness were contagious. She was a loving aunt, sister, daughter, and friend. Mymy was our biggest cheerleader.”
The Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles saying in a statement that Alvero was a US citizen of Filipino descent and offered to help Alveros’s family «in any way possible.»
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 showed a lot of respect for everyone,” Chen said. «He was very kind.»
kate martin, angela yang, kimmy yam, sakshi venkatraman Y emma sanchez contributed.