The coroner’s office has identified the 11 victims killed during the Monterey Park shooting, CNN reports. Communities have begun to mourn victims and create ways to support the loved ones of the victims.
According to CNN: the names of the female victims are: Xiujuan Yu, 57; Hong Jian, 62; Lilian Li, 63; My Nhan, 65; Muoi Ung, 67; and Diana Tom, 70. The names of the male victims are: Wen Yu, 64; Valentino Alvero, 68; Ming Ma, 72; Yu Kao, 72; and Chia Yau, 76.
Xiujuan Yu
The 57-year-old immigrated to the United States in 2010 to start a new life with her family, according to a GoFundMe Page created in her honor. She has three children, two of whom are attending California State Universities pursuing majors in Sports Medicine and Kinesiology.
“My aunt was in the middle of crafting that future with her husband and children, and now to have that journey suddenly interrupted is heartbreaking. She will never be able to witness what she dreamed of for all these years,” Kathleen Fong, Yu’s niece, wrote in the GoFundMe page.
Hong Jiang
According to The New York Times, Jiang, also known as Nancy Liu, emigrated from China more than 25 years ago. She was a regular at Star Ballroom Dance Studio where the shooting took place. She was rarely ever seen without her husband Jeff Liu, who was injured during the shooting that night. Their daughter told The New York Times that his injuries are not life threatening.
My Nhan
BBC reports that My Nhan’s family has issued a statement about her death. She has been described as a loving daughter, sister and aunt who was a regular at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio.
“She spent so many years going to the dance studio in Monterey Park on weekends,” the statement said, according to BBC. “It’s what she loved to do.
“But unfairly, Saturday was her last dance.”
Diana Tom
Diana was remembered in a GoFundMe post as a “hard-working mother, wife and grandmother who loved to dance.” She was generous and “always went out of her way to give to others.”
“On behalf of Diana Tom, we, her family, condemn this senseless act of violence that has uprooted the lives of all the victims, their families and the entire API community at large. We honor and support all of those affected,” the GoFundMe post reads.
Valentino Alvero
Alvero’s family described him as a loving father and son.
“Overnight, we became unwilling members of a community who has to mourn the loss of our loved ones due to gun violence,” the family said in a statement, according to ABC 7. “We are left frustrated, stuck with this vicious cycle.”
“We wish [we] could let him [know] that we will all miss him for the rest of our days on this earth. We hope that he danced to his heart’s content until the very end and hope that he is now dancing in heaven,” the statement continued.
Ming Ma
Ma was one of the owners and managers of Star Ballroom who was beloved by the community. He was also the father of two children.
“He was a very, very talented person,” Qiang Bjornbak, a lawyer who took dance lessons at the studio told BBC. “He was good at organising the dancing events, the singing events, the New Year’s gala.”
Laura Woods, who taught dance at the studio, called him the “heart” of the ballroom.
“He was so adorable to me and I could tell he was the heart of Star Ballroom,” Woods said, according to BBC.
GoFundMe has set up a fundraising hub that will direct people to the official fundraising pages to support victims of the shooting.
AsAmNews will continue to update this story as more information about the victims is released.
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