The suspect in the shooting that killed 10 people Saturday night in a Californian dance hall was found dead following a chase with the police, the local sheriff announced on Sunday. He committed suicide in a white van.
“The suspect sustained gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene,” said Sheriff Robert Luna, who described a manhunt that ended with a shot fired from inside the white pickup truck. the man, who therefore apparently committed suicide.
The latter, of Asian origin and aged 72, was the only suspect for this shooting, said Robert Luna, adding that the motive for this attack which occurred in Monterey Park, on the day of the Lunar New Year, was not yet known. known and that an investigation was under way.
>> Read regarding it: Ten dead in California shooting, perpetrator still at large
After having made 10 victims, most of whom were aged around 50 to 60, the alleged shooter had gone to another nearby dance hall, but was disarmed there by two people, before fleeing. The weapon found is not an assault rifle but “a semi-automatic assault pistol with magazine (…) to which was attached a long-lasting high-capacity magazine”, detailed Sunday the sheriff Luna.
Joe Biden reaction
The hunt for the suspect, covered live by several media outlets, ended in Torrance, regarding 45 kilometers from Monterey Park, with law enforcement eventually identifying his vehicle. Police then approached with great caution and entered.
In the wake of the latest police announcements, United States President Joe Biden has ordered flags adorning public buildings to be lowered to half-mast. “While there is still a lot we don’t know regarding the motive for this senseless attack, we know that many families are grieving tonight, or praying for their loved one to recover from their injuries.” Joe Biden in a statement.
It is the deadliest shooting in the country since a gunman killed 21 people in May at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.
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