[앵커]
Recently, shootings have continued in the United States, particularly in Texas.
Following the shooting at Asian descent in Koreatown, a massacre at an elementary school killed as many as twenty-one people.
Reporter Ahn Mi-hyang has covered Koreans who are more anxious than anyone else.
[기자]
Even piling up flowers, balloons and dolls is not enough to alleviate the grief of losing a family member.
There is still only sadness at the site of remembrance of the catastrophe that killed 21 people in the indiscriminate shooting at an elementary school last month.
[웬디 알베레즈 / 초등학교 총격 참사 희생자 어머니 : 애들이 4학년이었다는 얘기를 들을 때마다 제 딸이 이제 막 열 살이 될 예정이었다는 사실이 떠오릅니다. 제 딸은 이제 학교를 졸업할 수도 없고 결혼할 수도 없어요.]
The shooting at an elementary school took place less than two weeks following three Koreans were injured in a shooting at a hairdresser in Koreatown in the same week, further shocking the citizens.
In particular, at the time of the shooting at the beauty salon, it was revealed that the perpetrator had feelings of hatred toward Asians, and the Korean business community took a direct hit.
This is the hair salon in Koreatown where the shooting took place.
Some Korean businesses are recovering to their pre-shooting state, but it will take time for the Korean business district to regain its former vigor.
[이정수(가명) / 텍사스주 댈러스 : 가뜩이나 코로나 때문에 힘들어서 저기한데 또 이런 사고가 여기서 났으니까 암담해요, 암담해. 총 맞을까 봐 안 오는 거지. 더군다나 저기는 손님이 맞았잖아요, 머리 하다가.]
Although Texas has one of the highest shooting rates in the United States, it has lowered the gun age limit from 21 to 18.
Unlike 27 states in the United States that have passed laws to strengthen gun safety, regulations are becoming looser.
Koreans are arguing for the need for an official Koreatown designation and appropriate support following the shooting.
Dallas Koreatown does not receive official support from the city level, unlike areas densely populated by Koreans such as LA or New York, so it can be easily exposed to crime.
[김현겸 / 댈러스 한인상공회장 : 특수 구역으로 지정되면 시나 경찰국에서 좀 더 관심을 받을 수 있다고 생각을 하고 있어요. 저희가 기대하는 부분은 자영업하는 분들의 치안 문제를 안전하게 할 수 있다고 기대하고 있고요.]
After the incident, Dallas Police said that they had deployed additional Koreatown patrols and installed three new surveillance cameras.
This is Mihyang Ahn from YTN World in Texas, USA.
YTN Mihyang Ahn (kwonjs1010@ytn.co.kr)
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