President Joe Biden tweeted on the 22nd, “Jill and I are praying for those killed and injured in last night’s deadly mass shooting in Monterey Park. I’m monitoring this situation closely as it develops, and urge the community to follow guidance from local officials and law enforcement in the hours ahead.” he said.
White House spokesman Karin Jean-Pierre said: “President Biden was briefed on the case by Homeland Security Adviser. The president ordered the local authorities conducting the investigation to provide full support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Vice President Kamala Harris also said “Overnight, yet another community was torn apart by a senseless act of gun violence. To the Monterey Park families impacted: Doug and I mourn with you — and pray for you. (The president) and I will continue to provide full support to local authorities as we learn more.”
Michelle Steel said in a statement, “I am heartbroken over last night’s tragedy at a Lunar New Year celebration in Monterey Park. I am sending prayers to the victims, their families, and everyone else impacted by this violence.”
“Lunar New Year should be a time of celebration,” said Senator Dave Min of the state. ” Instead, last night’s mass shooting in Monterey Park, a vibrant hub of Asian culture, has made this a time of incredible tragedy. There is no place left in America that is safe from gun violence. This has to stop. Enough is enough.”
“Monterey Park should have had a night of joyful celebration of the Lunar New Year,” Governor Gavin Newsom said on social media. “Instead, they were the victims of a horrific and heartless act of gun violence. Our hearts mourn as we learn more about the devastating acts of last night. We are monitoring the situation closely.”
“This could have been so much worse — only hours earlier, all of us were together only one block away at the Lunar New Year festival,” Monterey Park representative Judy Chu said, while thanking first responders and local authorities. “All of us standing right here were there, and there were thousands there,” she added. “It’s horrible that such a thing could occur at a time of celebration for so many in the AAPI community and in the Asian community worldwide. This is a time to be with family, to celebrate, and yet this tore a hole through all of our hearts.”
By Park Nak-hee
