Police are still investigating the mass shooting in Monterey Park, California, that left 10 dead and at least another 10 wounded, but one city leader provided a possible explanation for what set off the attack.
Chester Chong, a prominent member of the Monterey Park community who serves on the Chinese Chamber of Commerce told ABC 7 that the suspect — who is still at large — may have become violent after having a fight with an intimate partner.
The shooting occurred at a dance studio and ballroom in the largely Asian-American community in the overnight hours of Sunday morning during the city’s Lunar New Year festivities.
Mr Chong said he spoke with friends who were at the ballroom when the attack occurred, and said a woman was invited to the dance but her husband was not. He said this made the man upset, and that he believes the husband may be the suspect in the shooting.
Police have not corroborated this story. Mr Chong is operating off of information from a second-hand source, and as the investigation is still ongoing, details may evolve or change over time.
Mr Chong claimed that it was not uncommon for the owner of the business to hold similar events and only invite certain members of the community. He noted that people frequently became upset when they were not invited to the events.
Law enforcement has not released a possible motive in the shooting, and the gunman — who has been described as an Asian male between the ages of 30 and 50 — has not been apprehended.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said "everything is on the table" during a press conference on Sunday when asked if the attack was being considered a hate crime.
He noted, however, that it was too early to tell if the shooting was motivated by racial hate or some other factor.
Mr Luna confirmed that five men and five women are among the deceased victims, but said they have not been identified as police are still investigating the crime scene.
The sheriff also confirmed that police are investigating a second location in neighboring Alhambra in which an armed man entered another dance hall with a gun. Patrons there wrestled the gun away from the man, and the weapon has since been collected by law enforcement.
Mr Luna said the incident in Alhambra occurred after the Monterey Park incident and said the weapon they obtained from the second incident could be the one used in the shooting at the dance hall.
