Several people reportedly died in a mass shooting at the Chinese Lunar New Year Celebration in California on Saturday.
Los Angeles Times reported that the shooting took place after 10 pm (0600 GMT) around the location of a Chinese Lunar New Year celebration held in Monterey Park.
Monterey Park is a city in Los Angeles county, around 7 miles (11 km) from downtown Los Angeles.
Tens of thousands of people had attended the two-day festival, the report said. There is no clarity on how many people were shot, but reports said some fatalities have happened.
“Heart goes out to those who lost loved ones tonight in the mass shooting,” City Controller Kenneth Mejia, an official in the Los Angeles government, wrote in a tweet.
Our hearts go out to those who lost loved ones tonight in our neighboring city, Monterey Park, where a mass shooting just occurred. Monterey Park is home to one of the largest Asian communities in Los Angeles County and many were out celebrating the Lunar New Year.
— Kenneth Mejia, CPA (@kennethmejiaLA) January 22, 2023
“Monterey Park is home to one of the largest Asian communities in Los Angeles County, and many were out celebrating the Lunar New Year,” he added.
Also Read: China Celebrates Lunar New Year With Biggest Gatherings Since Start Of Covid Pandemic
Eyewitnesses said there was a man with a machine gun in the area, reported LA Times. It added that the gunman had multiple rounds of ammunition on him so that once his ammunition ran out, the shooter reloaded.
People living around the area are in shock due to the incident. Injured people have been taken to multiple hospitals in the area.
People had fun with skewers earlier in the day and went shopping for Chinese food and jewelry. The New Year’s celebrations were scheduled to take place from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Social media videos showed that police and fire departments were on Garvey Avenue and treating victims. According to the Los Angeles Times, injured individuals were relocated to numerous regional hospitals.