WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.920 --> 00:00:04.080 We have an active shooter. We have an act shots ending quarter list a 2 00:00:04.080 --> 00:00:12.560 mass casualty Welcome to Active Shooter, a podcast that covers the wise, the 3 00:00:12.640 --> 00:00:23.280 house and the aftermath of active shooter and mass casualty events. They have an 4 00:00:23.320 --> 00:00:28.879 active shooter in the building at teching calls says they are vagan tax what six 5 00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:32.520 nineteen heies have? We got shots fire at four fifteen eight at a Route 6 00:00:32.640 --> 00:00:50.000 ninety one. Son of like an automatic fire on active shooter. Ports of 7 00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:54.399 an active shooter, active shooter, active shooter, and mass casualty incidents. 8 00:00:56.520 --> 00:01:03.000 Thank you for listening. You were listening to Active Shooter, a podcast that 9 00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:07.480 may contain adult themes, explicit language, and graphic depictions of violence. Portions 10 00:01:07.480 --> 00:01:14.079 of this show may be traumatic for those under eighteen. Listener discretion is advised. 11 00:01:15.599 --> 00:01:19.760 Tenth standoff has just ended. Heavily armed police locating a body with a 12 00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:23.959 self inflicted gunshot wound inside a van. They were hunting for the suspect in 13 00:01:23.000 --> 00:01:29.280 the deadly shooting overnight in Monterey Park, a predominantly Asian community. That attack 14 00:01:29.319 --> 00:01:34.159 happening in the midst of lunar New Year's celebrations. The situation unfolded over several 15 00:01:34.200 --> 00:01:38.719 hours this afternoon, authorities surrounding a white van and torrents about an hour's drive 16 00:01:38.760 --> 00:01:42.680 away from the crime scene. Swat teams using a drone and their armored vehicles 17 00:01:42.680 --> 00:01:47.079 to look inside before eventually entering. Earlier in the day, authorities released photos 18 00:01:47.079 --> 00:01:51.239 of a suspect and appealed for the communities help in locating him. Authorities say 19 00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:56.159 the shooter entered the crowded dance studio around ten o'clock Saturday night and open fire, 20 00:01:56.560 --> 00:02:00.000 killing at least ten people and wounding ten others, some of them critics. 21 00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:04.760 Officials say another incident and a nearby dance hall is connected. At that 22 00:02:04.840 --> 00:02:08.199 location, a man with a gun entered bystanders wrestled the gunaway, The man 23 00:02:08.240 --> 00:02:15.319 fled, No one was hurt. If you knew when your last day on 24 00:02:15.439 --> 00:02:17.960 earth would be, how would you use that time? Would you spend it 25 00:02:19.000 --> 00:02:23.919 trying to change the inevitable? Would you weep and moan about all you would 26 00:02:23.919 --> 00:02:28.439 be losing? Or would you spend your time pursuing things that brought you nothing 27 00:02:28.479 --> 00:02:31.960 but joy. Life is incredibly hectic these days, and we live in a 28 00:02:32.000 --> 00:02:37.960 world of hurry up and go. We live in a world of false reality 29 00:02:38.360 --> 00:02:44.080 filled with anger and hate, and we are overworked and stressed out with busy 30 00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:49.400 lives, families, and juggling multiple jobs. Most are rarely afforded moments to 31 00:02:49.439 --> 00:02:54.000 pursue happiness. The shooting we are covering today at the Star Ballroom in Monterey 32 00:02:54.039 --> 00:03:00.840 Park, California is no less tragic or heart wrenching than any other case we've 33 00:03:00.879 --> 00:03:05.719 covered. The stark difference is that each of the shooting victims in today's case 34 00:03:06.360 --> 00:03:10.439 was doing the thing they love the most. There was no premonition of death. 35 00:03:12.120 --> 00:03:16.120 They each just understood the importance of finding joy and seizing it every day, 36 00:03:17.080 --> 00:03:23.439 for we never are guaranteed tomorrow. Today's case is dedicated to the lives 37 00:03:23.479 --> 00:03:30.199 and memories of the nine injured survivors in the eleven shooting victims, Valentina Marcos, 38 00:03:30.360 --> 00:03:36.960 Alevro, Diana Man, Ling, Tom Ming Wi Ma, My My 39 00:03:37.159 --> 00:03:44.719 Nan, Lilan Lee, Jiwan Yu Moi, Dai Hong Hong Ying Yan, 40 00:03:45.840 --> 00:03:55.599 Yulon Ko Chi Ling Yao, and When Tao Yu Active Shooter. The podcast 41 00:03:55.759 --> 00:04:03.479 is a high five holy production and I'm your host JT. If you've listened 42 00:04:03.479 --> 00:04:09.039 to our prior episodes, you know that the Active Shooter Podcast team has taken 43 00:04:09.080 --> 00:04:13.599 the no notoriety pledge and we will not be sharing the real name to the 44 00:04:13.639 --> 00:04:17.839 shooters that we cover. We will be giving the shooters a pseudonym and refer 45 00:04:17.959 --> 00:04:23.040 to them by that name throughout the episode. This will help in clearing up 46 00:04:23.079 --> 00:04:27.639 any confusion in the story. While remaining true to our pledge and not naming 47 00:04:27.639 --> 00:04:32.879 the shooter by their actual name, we will refer to today's shooter as Keith. 48 00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:47.839 In Monterey Park, California, on Saturday, January twenty first, twenty 49 00:04:47.920 --> 00:04:54.800 twenty three, the atmosphere was jovial and festive as residents danced in the streets, 50 00:04:55.279 --> 00:05:00.040 rejoicing over a day long Lunar New Year Festival event. It was the 51 00:05:00.079 --> 00:05:03.879 first time since the pandemic that revelers were able to come together for the celebration, 52 00:05:04.439 --> 00:05:09.879 and the party went into the evening hours and was to continue the following 53 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:15.920 day. The day was filled with typical California sunshine, but was rather chilly. 54 00:05:16.120 --> 00:05:20.759 Monterey Park is about ten miles east of Los Angeles in the San Gabriel 55 00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:28.560 Valley. The areas distinguished by its appreciation and representation of Taiwanese, Vietnamese, 56 00:05:28.600 --> 00:05:33.560 and Chinese American culture. The Star Ballroom dance Studio located at one twenty two 57 00:05:33.639 --> 00:05:40.199 Westguarve Avenue, Sat, nestled into a strip mall next to the quote traditional 58 00:05:40.439 --> 00:05:46.680 Guylind Noodles restaurant. The studio, which has been owned by Maria Leang since 59 00:05:46.759 --> 00:05:50.720 twenty thirteen, is partially brick on the outside, with green and white striped 60 00:05:50.720 --> 00:05:57.120 awnings over the windows. Signs in both English and Chinese hung in the windows 61 00:05:57.160 --> 00:06:01.199 of the studios announcing each of the various dancing lessons offered, including Salsa, 62 00:06:01.399 --> 00:06:06.800 Cha, Cha, tengo and the Waltz. Decorations were adorning most of the 63 00:06:06.839 --> 00:06:12.959 studio on that particular Saturday night since they were hosting a Chinese New Year countdown 64 00:06:13.120 --> 00:06:16.800 dance party. About fifty to sixty were attending the party, and as such, 65 00:06:16.879 --> 00:06:24.399 fifty to sixty people were in grave danger and they were completely unaware. 66 00:06:26.600 --> 00:06:30.879 Keith arrived at the studio at approximately ten twenty pm wearing a black and white 67 00:06:30.879 --> 00:06:35.639 beanie cap, glasses, and a black leather jacket. With him, Keith 68 00:06:35.680 --> 00:06:43.360 carried a Cobra M eleven nine semi automatic pistol and Nornko Type fifty four seven 69 00:06:43.399 --> 00:06:48.000 point six two by twenty five millimeter semi automatic pistol. As he walked towards 70 00:06:48.079 --> 00:06:54.839 the studio, Keith spotted sixty five year old my my Non's car, and 71 00:06:54.959 --> 00:06:59.959 he briefly veered off course, walking with purpose towards the driver's side window. 72 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:05.360 There, he raised one of the guns and fired into the vehicle several times. 73 00:07:06.399 --> 00:07:11.600 My Mine was hit and slumped over, while the passenger, my Miye's 74 00:07:11.639 --> 00:07:17.399 dance partner, was miraculously left unharmed. Born on August fifteenth, nineteen fifty 75 00:07:17.399 --> 00:07:23.680 seven, Mamey immigrated from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam to Rosemead in the 76 00:07:23.800 --> 00:07:29.000 nineteen eighties. Known as a considerate woman, she was always checking in with 77 00:07:29.040 --> 00:07:33.639 her family, taking care of them whenever needed. Myme lived to dance. 78 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:39.759 According to her instructor, she had an innate ability to bring others together through 79 00:07:39.879 --> 00:07:44.120 dance and friends at the studio where she'd been going for years, say that 80 00:07:44.240 --> 00:07:49.279 Mymey always sipped tea sitting near the stereo during breaks. The pleasant woman who 81 00:07:49.360 --> 00:07:58.360 was friendly and friends with everyone, will be deeply mourned. After shooting my 82 00:07:58.480 --> 00:08:03.360 Miye, Keith entered the ball room, raised his gun yet again and began 83 00:08:03.439 --> 00:08:07.920 shooting. While it was later discovered that Keith most certainly targeted this dance studio. 84 00:08:09.319 --> 00:08:13.519 It's not clear whether there was a specific individual he was stalking. The 85 00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:20.199 man who originally owned the dance space, Mingwei Ma wasted no time. He 86 00:08:20.279 --> 00:08:24.639 rushed Keith, hoping to stop the shooting before any unnecessary loss. Tragically, 87 00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:30.319 Mingwe was shot and instantly killed. Though he no longer owned the studio, 88 00:08:30.399 --> 00:08:33.559 he was still the manager and loved dancing immensely and was well known in the 89 00:08:33.600 --> 00:08:39.879 local dancing community, endearingly referred to as mister Ma. Mingwe was born on 90 00:08:41.000 --> 00:08:45.879 August nineteenth, nineteen fifty, before immigrating to the United States from China. 91 00:08:45.960 --> 00:08:50.639 A pillar of the community, Mingwe had a wicked sense of humor and was 92 00:08:50.759 --> 00:08:56.600 exceptionally talented and genuinely enjoyed others, always quick to jump in with encouragement to 93 00:08:56.639 --> 00:09:03.039 the other dancers. The love Mingwe zooted was felt by all, as evidenced 94 00:09:03.039 --> 00:09:07.360 by the words used to describe mister ma on the go fund me that was 95 00:09:07.480 --> 00:09:11.639 established to help cover funeral expenses, which read that he quote helped build a 96 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:31.080 community that dearly loved and respected him for his kindness and liveliness. As Keith 97 00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:35.919 fired into the ballroom, the Chinese song Light Rain in March played in the 98 00:09:35.919 --> 00:09:41.720 background. The beloved dance song became a disturbing soundtrack to the horror and chaos 99 00:09:41.720 --> 00:09:46.600 that filled the ballroom. By ten twenty two pm, reports of gunfire coming 100 00:09:46.600 --> 00:09:52.480 from the Star Ballroom were coming into police and nine one one dispatch. Dancers 101 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:56.799 who were focused solely on their moves didn't really register the gunfire, initially believing 102 00:09:56.799 --> 00:10:01.600 it to be fireworks from the festival that had taken place that day. As 103 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:05.799 the realization that they were under attack dawned on many of the partygoers, a 104 00:10:05.919 --> 00:10:09.720 rain of bullets blasted out of Keith's firearm as he fired in a spraying motion, 105 00:10:11.200 --> 00:10:16.360 intent on striking and killing as many innocent people as he could manage. 106 00:10:18.480 --> 00:10:24.759 Nine one one, Yeah, I want to report, Yes, studio, 107 00:10:26.639 --> 00:10:31.200 somebody already report. No, what's going on here? Somebody is losing a 108 00:10:31.200 --> 00:10:35.320 gun Swooden people. He decide he's EI the studio, So we just we 109 00:10:35.399 --> 00:10:43.279 just come out. How long ago? Uh? What's the address? I 110 00:10:43.320 --> 00:10:50.720 don't know the conda of a gobby? And and why to kill West Garvey? 111 00:10:50.720 --> 00:10:58.679 Stop dance? Is there ony too? West Garvey? Is it? 112 00:10:58.919 --> 00:11:03.039 Star Dance? Scuty out. Yeah, yeah, that's the one. That's 113 00:11:03.039 --> 00:11:09.559 the guy is reloading the If anyone hurt, I don't know, you better 114 00:11:09.600 --> 00:11:16.480 say policia right away. He might start shooting again. I'm I'm outside the 115 00:11:16.519 --> 00:11:22.159 building. I don't know if anybody's got her a lot? How long ago? 116 00:11:22.639 --> 00:11:33.759 Just two minutes ago? Okay? Can you see if anyone I don't 117 00:11:33.759 --> 00:11:39.159 know who's happened too fast? Everybody's uh free run away, So I don't 118 00:11:39.159 --> 00:11:43.960 know. Did you see did you would be the people who holding the coast 119 00:11:43.960 --> 00:11:48.000 the entrance and just started shooting. I think it was fast, so it 120 00:11:48.120 --> 00:11:52.320 was a mail, yeah mail. Just one died? Okay? Did he 121 00:11:52.519 --> 00:11:58.080 did he run away on foot or did he go into them? I don't 122 00:11:58.080 --> 00:12:03.639 know. He's trying to reload the or the gunner. People kept just ren 123 00:12:03.159 --> 00:12:07.200 Did you know how old? Do you have an inscription? Is he black? 124 00:12:07.320 --> 00:12:11.519 White? A? No? No? No? It happened two us. 125 00:12:13.000 --> 00:12:18.720 Can can you even see? I thought he was using a firework, 126 00:12:18.840 --> 00:12:24.159 I mean fire practice. So still a row of people outside outside the building 127 00:12:24.240 --> 00:12:31.519 now, so you better send the police before we go bank get my stuff? 128 00:12:31.120 --> 00:12:39.120 Okay, okay, give a second. Sixty eight year old Valentino Marcos 129 00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:43.080 Alavro, also known as Val, was one of the dancers that was shot 130 00:12:43.080 --> 00:12:48.519 in the ballroom. A Filipino American, he was born on November third, 131 00:12:48.679 --> 00:12:54.080 nineteen fifty four and was a fun loving father, grandfather, son, brother, 132 00:12:54.240 --> 00:12:58.039 and uncle. A devout Catholic, Val lived to the fullest and was 133 00:12:58.080 --> 00:13:03.399 described by a friend on Facebook as a man who was always smiling and loved 134 00:13:03.480 --> 00:13:09.480 music and dancing. Val dreamed of retiring and returning to the Philippines. Often 135 00:13:09.519 --> 00:13:13.759 described as the life of the party, his gregarious spirit will be greatly missed 136 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:20.960 by so many. Keith continued circling the ballroom, firing at random, yet 137 00:13:20.039 --> 00:13:24.519 not erratically. People fell to the ground, and the sounds of screaming rapidly 138 00:13:24.559 --> 00:13:30.279 overtook the music that continued to play. Lelan Lee, a warm hearted sixty 139 00:13:30.279 --> 00:13:33.360 three year old grandmother, was described by her daughter as quote a pillar of 140 00:13:33.399 --> 00:13:39.519 strength and optimism. Born on November twenty third, nineteen fifty three, Lelan 141 00:13:39.799 --> 00:13:43.120 went on to have one daughter and two grandchildren who were the lights of her 142 00:13:43.159 --> 00:13:48.519 life, and she was theirs. She has survived by a brother, two 143 00:13:48.559 --> 00:13:52.240 sisters, and of course her cherished daughter and grandkids. Most of her family 144 00:13:52.279 --> 00:13:56.679 lives in China, so a go FUNDMI was set up to help with travel 145 00:13:56.720 --> 00:14:01.759 and funeral expenses so her loved ones could mourn their monu mental loss. As 146 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:07.159 petrified dancers rushed to and fro desperately trying to find a way to escape or 147 00:14:07.240 --> 00:14:11.399 hide, a small group of about five to six people took shelter inside a 148 00:14:11.480 --> 00:14:16.399 tiny storage closet, tiny as in one and a half by three feet tiny. 149 00:14:18.200 --> 00:14:20.799 Yet the human will to survive, coupled with the extreme adrenaline, can 150 00:14:20.799 --> 00:14:26.279 allow a person to do things they may not ordinarily accomplish. Many others weren't 151 00:14:26.279 --> 00:14:31.679 as lucky, including Chi ling Yao and When Tao Yu. When Tao Yu 152 00:14:31.919 --> 00:14:35.120 was born on September fourteenth, nineteen fifty eight in Taiwan. He was a 153 00:14:35.159 --> 00:14:39.919 reserved man who, despite being sixty four years old, had recently begun studying 154 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:45.240 to become a pharmacist. He was very close with and enjoyed doing things with 155 00:14:45.279 --> 00:14:48.960 his immediate family, and they had been attending the Lunar New Year's celebrations together 156 00:14:50.120 --> 00:14:54.000 for years before the shooting. The annual festival will now be a time to 157 00:14:54.080 --> 00:15:00.720 remember and mourn their tragic loss. Seventy six year old Chi was born on 158 00:15:00.919 --> 00:15:05.639 March sixth, nineteen forty six, and acquired dual citizenship in Taiwan and the 159 00:15:05.759 --> 00:15:11.080 United States. Known as Charlie by friends and loved ones, he lived life 160 00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:15.000 to the max and was passionate about music, traveling, and of course, 161 00:15:15.159 --> 00:15:20.000 dance. A compassionate father, brother, uncle, and friend, Charlie is 162 00:15:20.159 --> 00:15:26.519 described by his son as quote generous with words of love and affirmation. This 163 00:15:26.559 --> 00:15:30.919 world is much too short on people who live by such words, making the 164 00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:35.879 loss felt deeply and by many. Some people were injured in the pure chaos 165 00:15:35.879 --> 00:15:41.399 that exploded right after the gunfire. Others were nearly trampled in the mad dash 166 00:15:41.480 --> 00:15:46.159 to get out of the building. A man named Bill was sitting outside of 167 00:15:46.200 --> 00:15:50.000 the ballroom in the parking lot of the Strip Mall when he saw a small 168 00:15:50.039 --> 00:15:52.720 group of six or seven people burst out of the building. A few of 169 00:15:52.759 --> 00:15:56.799 them jumped into the bed of his truck, while another man knocked on the 170 00:15:56.799 --> 00:16:00.039 window, telling Bill there was danger and they needed to get away. Thinking 171 00:16:00.120 --> 00:16:03.960 that there was likely a fight or maybe even a fire, Bill began to 172 00:16:04.039 --> 00:16:07.279 drive away, and as he was turning from the parking lot, he heard 173 00:16:07.320 --> 00:16:12.639 gunfire break out behind them. Bill drove the group to safety, effectively saving 174 00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:18.200 several lives that night. Meanwhile, back in the ball room, a dancer 175 00:16:18.279 --> 00:16:22.000 named Yu Lunko was using his body as a human shield for several others when 176 00:16:22.000 --> 00:16:26.600 he was shot and killed. The seventy two year old was born on January 177 00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:32.200 tenth, nineteen fifty one, and was called Andy by friends and associates. 178 00:16:32.759 --> 00:16:37.480 Andy was a contractor that sold materials for making gates and windows. A bachelor 179 00:16:37.519 --> 00:16:41.600 at heart, he never married or had children, but he was far from 180 00:16:41.639 --> 00:16:45.759 solitary. One family member said that Andy was a generous, compassionate man who 181 00:16:45.799 --> 00:16:52.039 loved sports and dancing. Andy and his dance partner of fifteen years, Shally, 182 00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:56.919 where at the ball room doing what each loved when the shooting started. 183 00:16:57.039 --> 00:17:03.320 Andy was desperately trying to save Shalli and others when he was murdered. After 184 00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:07.160 the shooting, Shalli's husband created a go fund Me to help raise money for 185 00:17:07.240 --> 00:17:11.559 funeral expenses, noting that the selfless man took a bullet for his wife, 186 00:17:11.240 --> 00:17:15.720 a debt that can never be repaid, not that Andy would have wanted it 187 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:21.079 that way. It wasn't even a consideration that he wouldn't protect his partner or 188 00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:25.960 anyone else for that matter, the witty upbeat man was a presence that will 189 00:17:26.039 --> 00:17:33.599 surely be missed. All around the ballroom, gun blasts rang out, punctuated 190 00:17:33.599 --> 00:17:37.880 by horrified screaming. A man yelled gunshots, which initially sent people diving towards 191 00:17:37.880 --> 00:17:45.200 the ground, seeking immediate shelter under anything anywhere. The scent of gunpowder mixed 192 00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:48.400 with the metallic smell of blood, and as one can imagine, the sight 193 00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:55.000 was like something straight out of a horror film. Fifty seven year old Jiu 194 00:17:55.079 --> 00:18:00.599 xuan You was shot and killed in the ballroom. Born on Tober first, 195 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:03.720 nineteen sixty five, she immigrated to the United States from China in the early 196 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:10.240 twenty tens seeking a better life. The mother of three did odd jobs with 197 00:18:10.279 --> 00:18:15.039 her husband working incredibly hard in very labor intensive fields, ensuring they could provide 198 00:18:15.039 --> 00:18:19.680 a good life for their children. Provide they did. Two of the three 199 00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:25.920 kids were seeking degrees in sports medicine and kinesiology at California State University, with 200 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:30.720 some financial and a ton of emotional support from their folks. Ju Juan was 201 00:18:30.759 --> 00:18:36.720 an accomplished home cook who relished in making delicious meals and delivering them to family 202 00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:41.160 members. Her specialty dishes were soy sauce duck, sticky rice, and soy 203 00:18:41.160 --> 00:18:45.559 sauce chicken. The altruistic woman went out of her way to do for others, 204 00:18:45.880 --> 00:18:51.960 and she will be intensely mourned. Sixty seven year old Moy Dai Ung 205 00:18:52.279 --> 00:18:56.079 was born on October eighth, nineteen fifty five. A Vietnamese refugee. Moi 206 00:18:56.400 --> 00:19:02.960 cherished her life in America and was an exuberant dancer. Her favorite activities included 207 00:19:03.000 --> 00:19:06.640 eating, gambling, and dancing, and she even did all three at once 208 00:19:06.680 --> 00:19:11.640 on occasion. Hongying John, or Nancy, as her family, friends and 209 00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:15.200 neighbors referred to her, was born on December sixteenth, nineteen sixty and was 210 00:19:15.240 --> 00:19:21.440 sixty two when she was killed. An extremely active person, Nancy played volleyball, 211 00:19:21.559 --> 00:19:25.480 played the piano, and of course, she danced. She also talked 212 00:19:25.480 --> 00:19:30.400 about her plans to neighbors and loved making new friends, but always maintained her 213 00:19:30.440 --> 00:19:34.880 long standing friendships. Nancy was from the Sichuan Province and her husband was from 214 00:19:34.880 --> 00:19:38.599 Shanghai, and the couple planned to go to Shanghai to visit her mother, 215 00:19:38.839 --> 00:19:45.920 but COVID nineteen restrictions prevented the visit. Before Nancy's untimely an unnecessary death. 216 00:19:45.839 --> 00:19:52.400 Seventy year old Diana mon Ling Tom was born on May twentieth, nineteen fifty 217 00:19:52.400 --> 00:19:56.920 two, and was the last of the shooting victims to pass away. Diana 218 00:19:56.039 --> 00:20:00.599 was rushed to the lac USC Medical Center, where she ultimately died from her 219 00:20:00.599 --> 00:20:06.720 injuries. A dedicated mother, she was also a wife and grandmother roles she 220 00:20:06.759 --> 00:20:11.400 took very seriously. Diana gave herself to anyone in need and chose to express 221 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:15.759 herself through dance. It was only fitting that the last thing Diana would be 222 00:20:15.759 --> 00:20:22.200 doing in this life is dancing. Ten people were pronounced dead at the scene, 223 00:20:22.440 --> 00:20:26.519 including six women and five men. We have sixteen patients at this time. 224 00:20:27.799 --> 00:20:32.920 Let's go ahead. Our engine sixty two as a tween sixty one with 225 00:20:33.160 --> 00:20:37.640 three as. I got three immedias in here, and I got a professionally 226 00:20:37.799 --> 00:20:41.200 ten diseased. I'm going to need another edge company for a litter team to 227 00:20:41.240 --> 00:20:47.960 get these im mediates out here. Keith only used the Cobra M eleven nine, 228 00:20:48.440 --> 00:20:52.559 which is a variation of the MAC eleven with an extended high capacity magazine. 229 00:20:53.279 --> 00:20:56.799 This kind of firearm, along with the high capacity magazine, are illegal 230 00:20:57.039 --> 00:21:00.839 in the state of California. However, it seems the gun was purchased in 231 00:21:00.920 --> 00:21:06.359 nineteen ninety nine and was never registered. A total of forty two rounds were 232 00:21:06.359 --> 00:21:11.880 fired at the Star Ballroom dance studio, but Keith wasn't finished. He left 233 00:21:11.880 --> 00:21:14.720 the ballroom, got back into his car, and drove about two and a 234 00:21:14.759 --> 00:21:22.319 half miles to the Lili Ballroom and Studio in Alhambra, California. Keith parked 235 00:21:22.359 --> 00:21:26.759 and entered the dance studio. In the lobby, he encountered Brandon Say, 236 00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:30.640 who saw the weapon and instantly took action. Keith was prepping the weapon, 237 00:21:30.640 --> 00:21:36.240 and Brandon seized the minuscule window of opportunity. He lunged at Keith and grabbed 238 00:21:36.240 --> 00:21:40.359 onto the gun. Keith began to punch brandon closed fist in the face. 239 00:21:41.440 --> 00:21:45.559 He repeatedly tried striking Brandon on the back of his head too, but Brandon 240 00:21:45.640 --> 00:21:49.039 was able to somewhat fight back. He threw elbows, trying to separate both 241 00:21:49.160 --> 00:21:53.319 himself and the gun from Keith. When he finally managed to disarm Keith, 242 00:21:53.599 --> 00:21:59.279 Brandon scrambled away from Keith, stood aimed the weapon and ordered him to leave 243 00:21:59.599 --> 00:22:04.759 or shoot. He both saved the day and extended grace to a monster who 244 00:22:04.839 --> 00:22:11.000 would never extend back. Brandon's family owned the studio, and he was intent 245 00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:15.359 on protecting both. He called nine one one, and the police arrived within 246 00:22:15.480 --> 00:22:18.480 three minutes. Madness had ensued. By the time they arrived. People were 247 00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:25.640 running everywhere and screaming, blood curdling, utterly, gut wrenching howls. It 248 00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:30.799 was Chinese New Year's We were posting a social dance party. I was into 249 00:22:30.920 --> 00:22:37.000 lobby. It was late into the evening, most of our customers already left. 250 00:22:37.200 --> 00:22:41.400 I wasn't paying attention to the front door. I was looking into the 251 00:22:41.480 --> 00:22:45.920 dance ballroom to dance floor, and this is when I heard the sound of 252 00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:52.640 the front door creaking closing, and instantly followed by the sound of a metal 253 00:22:52.680 --> 00:22:57.000 object clinking together as if they were rubbing. That's when I turned around and 254 00:22:57.079 --> 00:23:04.160 saw that there was an Asian man holding a gun. My first thoughts was 255 00:23:04.920 --> 00:23:08.599 I was going to die here. This was it. No, I did 256 00:23:08.599 --> 00:23:15.319 not recognize him. This was somebody I have never seen before. He didn't 257 00:23:15.319 --> 00:23:18.880 seem like he was here for any money. He wasn't here to rob us. 258 00:23:19.519 --> 00:23:22.920 When he was looking around the room, it seemed like he was looking 259 00:23:22.960 --> 00:23:27.160 for targets people to harm. This is when he started prepping the weapon and 260 00:23:27.920 --> 00:23:33.279 something came over me. I realized I needed to get the weapon away from 261 00:23:33.319 --> 00:23:36.400 him. I needed to take this weapon, this arm him, or else 262 00:23:36.920 --> 00:23:42.400 everybody would I have died. When I got the courage, I lunged at 263 00:23:42.440 --> 00:23:48.920 him with both my hands, grabbed the weapon, and we had to struggle. 264 00:23:48.400 --> 00:23:53.200 We struggled into the lobby, trying to get this gun away from each 265 00:23:53.240 --> 00:23:57.119 other. He was hitting me across the face, bashing the back of my 266 00:23:57.200 --> 00:24:02.799 head. I was trying to use my elbows to separate the gun away from 267 00:24:02.920 --> 00:24:07.079 him, creating some distance. Finally, at one point I was able to 268 00:24:07.359 --> 00:24:11.640 pull the gun away from him, shove him aside, create some distance, 269 00:24:11.880 --> 00:24:17.480 point the gun at him, intimidate him, shout him and say get the 270 00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:23.680 hell out here, I'll shoot get away. Go And at this point I 271 00:24:23.680 --> 00:24:30.079 thought he would run away, but he was just standing there contemplating whether to 272 00:24:30.200 --> 00:24:34.039 fight or to run away. I really thought I would have to shoot him 273 00:24:34.039 --> 00:24:41.400 if he came at me. This is when he turned around and walked out 274 00:24:41.440 --> 00:24:45.920 the door, dropped back to his van. I immediately called police with the 275 00:24:45.960 --> 00:24:52.440 gun still in my hand after an incident. I was I was shook. 276 00:24:52.559 --> 00:24:56.119 I was shaking. I was shaking all night. I couldn't believe what happened. 277 00:24:59.079 --> 00:25:02.240 After waking up, I noticed there was bruising all over my body. 278 00:25:03.319 --> 00:25:06.559 My face has a bruise across the nose, and the back of my head 279 00:25:06.559 --> 00:25:12.079 has some bruising. I can't believe that this could happen. A lot of 280 00:25:12.079 --> 00:25:19.039 people have been telling me how much courage I had to confront a situation like 281 00:25:19.079 --> 00:25:25.400 this. But you know what courage is. Courage is not the absent fear, 282 00:25:25.720 --> 00:25:32.119 but rather the ability to have adversity, to fear when fear. Fearful 283 00:25:32.519 --> 00:25:37.400 events happened such as this, and in crisis is like this. The people 284 00:25:37.480 --> 00:25:44.000 need courage, especially the victims, their friends, their families. My heart 285 00:25:44.039 --> 00:25:52.559 goes out to everybody involved, especially the people in Star Dance Studio and Monterey 286 00:25:52.599 --> 00:25:59.480 Park. I hope they could find the courage and the strength to persevere. 287 00:26:00.200 --> 00:26:06.759 Despite the relatively quick notice of the shooting, police inexplicably waited about five hours 288 00:26:06.799 --> 00:26:10.319 before alerting the public. The shooter had fled the scene and was on the 289 00:26:10.400 --> 00:26:15.759 run. At three thirty am, the La County Sheriff's Captain Andrew Meyer conducted 290 00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:19.759 a press conference wherein he announced the deaths of the victims and alerted the public 291 00:26:19.839 --> 00:26:26.920 that the shooter was at large, armed and dangerous. Keith was on the 292 00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:30.920 run for nearly twelve hours. At ten twenty am, a white cargo van 293 00:26:30.039 --> 00:26:34.799 was spotted by police in Torrance, California, about thirty minutes southwest of Monterey 294 00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:38.640 Park. A traffic stop was executed on the van as it pulled into a 295 00:26:38.680 --> 00:26:44.640 parking lot of a shopping plaza. Police were ordered to prevent any vehicles from 296 00:26:44.720 --> 00:26:48.960 entering or exiting the parking lot. All lanes of traffic were blocked off, 297 00:26:48.359 --> 00:26:52.359 and at about ten forty am, an officer could be heard over the radio 298 00:26:52.440 --> 00:26:56.400 saying, quote, just a little bit of information the Monterey Park case from 299 00:26:56.480 --> 00:27:02.799 last night. This is going to be related. Officers carefully approached the vehicle, 300 00:27:02.880 --> 00:27:06.160 guns at the ready. They heard a single gunshot and retreated back to 301 00:27:06.240 --> 00:27:11.599 their patrol vehicles to call in a tactical team elsewhere. At eleven o four 302 00:27:11.640 --> 00:27:15.720 a m. The La County Sheriff's Department released a bulletin asking the public for 303 00:27:15.759 --> 00:27:19.720 information about the individual wanted for the shooting, and shared still photos extracted from 304 00:27:19.759 --> 00:27:25.559 surveillance videos. They didn't know that by the time they released the bulletin, 305 00:27:25.680 --> 00:27:32.160 another team had already located the van. Three armored vehicles surrounded the van at 306 00:27:32.160 --> 00:27:36.319 twelve fifty two PM. One was positioned directly in front of the van, 307 00:27:36.519 --> 00:27:40.279 one directly behind, and one parallel to the driver's side of the van. 308 00:27:40.960 --> 00:27:45.759 They had effectively cut off all means of escape for Keith. However, they 309 00:27:45.799 --> 00:27:49.720 added precaution ultimately proved to be unnecessary because at one p m. Keith was 310 00:27:49.759 --> 00:27:55.720 located in the driver's seat of the van and pronounced dead. With the threat 311 00:27:55.759 --> 00:28:00.920 extinguished, the armored vehicles pulled away and an investigation began. Keith's house was 312 00:28:00.960 --> 00:28:06.119 searched and a three or nine caliber rifle and hundreds of rounds were located, 313 00:28:06.440 --> 00:28:22.720 along with numerous items that were consistent with assembling a homemade gun suppressor. Keith 314 00:28:22.839 --> 00:28:27.839 was born on August fifteenth, nineteen fifty in China and immigrated to the States, 315 00:28:29.079 --> 00:28:33.400 specifically California, and began working as a semi truck driver. In nineteen 316 00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:37.519 eighty nine, he purchased a home which must have felt like the proverbial American 317 00:28:37.599 --> 00:28:42.799 dream. Things weren't quite that idyllic, though. On November twenty seventh, 318 00:28:42.880 --> 00:28:48.440 nineteen ninety, Keith was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon. You see. 319 00:28:48.759 --> 00:28:52.079 Keith called nine one one, claiming to have chased down a man who allegedly 320 00:28:52.200 --> 00:28:57.359 robbed a liquor store in San Gabriel. Despite Keith's claims, police wrote a 321 00:28:57.400 --> 00:29:03.039 report and detailed the fact that there were no other calls reporting a robbery. 322 00:29:03.079 --> 00:29:07.680 The officer requested to pat Keith down, and he agreed. A hard object 323 00:29:07.720 --> 00:29:11.039 was felt on Keith's person and out came a thirty eight Special from Keith's pocket. 324 00:29:11.640 --> 00:29:15.480 The firearm was a snub nosed German made revolver and was loaded with hollow 325 00:29:15.480 --> 00:29:19.480 point live rounds, which is a type of ammunition that has nicknamed cop killers 326 00:29:19.559 --> 00:29:23.960 due to their ability to pierce body armor. Keith was detained and placed in 327 00:29:25.000 --> 00:29:29.319 the back of the patrol vehicle while another officer interviewed the liquor store employee. 328 00:29:29.759 --> 00:29:33.839 The employee explained that some man came in and stole some beer, so the 329 00:29:33.880 --> 00:29:37.640 other customer, Keith, took it upon himself to play hero and chase the 330 00:29:37.680 --> 00:29:41.079 thief down. For his part, Keith claimed that he was out walking his 331 00:29:41.200 --> 00:29:45.599 dog. When the liquor store employee claimed that someone had stolen the beer. 332 00:29:45.400 --> 00:29:49.079 Keith ran home, dropped the dog off, and grabbed a gun, which 333 00:29:49.079 --> 00:29:52.839 he later claimed was for protection against a person that no one asked him to 334 00:29:52.920 --> 00:29:57.839 chase. Keith was eventually charged with carrying a loaded firearm and carrying a concealed 335 00:29:57.839 --> 00:30:03.519 weapon. The research was unclear on how the case was resolved. In nineteen 336 00:30:03.599 --> 00:30:07.000 ninety two, Keith met a woman at a restaurant and the pair began dating. 337 00:30:07.519 --> 00:30:11.400 The woman told Keith that she was still technically married but was seeking a 338 00:30:11.440 --> 00:30:15.960 divorce. Keith later went to the local police station, claiming that he was 339 00:30:15.000 --> 00:30:19.200 being harassed and threatened by the woman's sister. Keith said the woman was a 340 00:30:19.240 --> 00:30:23.440 Taiwanese gang member who was threatening to have him killed if he continued dating the 341 00:30:23.440 --> 00:30:29.039 woman. In early nineteen ninety three, he called the police again, saying 342 00:30:29.039 --> 00:30:33.799 that he located forty nine loaded shotgun shells on his lawn and he was certain 343 00:30:33.880 --> 00:30:37.640 the woman's family put them there to scare him. Police contacted the woman's husband, 344 00:30:37.640 --> 00:30:41.880 who indicated that he knew his wife and Keith were messing around. When 345 00:30:41.880 --> 00:30:45.160 he left the country for work. He told the police that Keith was livid 346 00:30:45.359 --> 00:30:48.839 over the fact that he and his wife were working on their marriage. Keith 347 00:30:48.920 --> 00:30:53.319 was insanely jealous, and the husband claimed that it was Keith who was calling 348 00:30:53.359 --> 00:30:57.880 their home during late night hours. It was Keith that was threatening him. 349 00:31:00.000 --> 00:31:03.640 The husband claimed that everything Keith had reported against him was actually being done to 350 00:31:03.960 --> 00:31:10.799 him by Keith. The whole situation was a convoluted mess, but there was 351 00:31:10.839 --> 00:31:15.319 no evidence of wrongdoing on any part, and the case was eventually closed. 352 00:31:15.759 --> 00:31:19.920 Keith met his future ex wife in two thousand and one, and the couple 353 00:31:19.960 --> 00:31:26.839 married pretty quickly into the relationship. The pair met at the Star Ballroom the 354 00:31:26.960 --> 00:31:30.519 sight of the shooting. Keith offered to give his wife informal dance lessons, 355 00:31:30.519 --> 00:31:36.119 and they immediately became regulars, both at the studio and in each other's lives. 356 00:31:36.759 --> 00:31:38.279 Things seemed to be on track for a time, and in two thousand 357 00:31:38.279 --> 00:31:41.799 and two, Keith started up his own trucking company, and he was successful 358 00:31:41.839 --> 00:31:47.480 for a very short time before things turned sour. In two thousand and four, 359 00:31:47.559 --> 00:31:51.759 the trucking company collapsed, and from there things only got worse. Keith 360 00:31:51.759 --> 00:31:53.799 and his wife separated on December thirty, first, two thousand and five, 361 00:31:55.160 --> 00:31:57.960 and the divorce was final on May ninth, two thousand and six. While 362 00:31:59.039 --> 00:32:02.039 Keith's now ex wife says he was never violent with her, she admitted that 363 00:32:02.079 --> 00:32:06.720 he was quick to anger. Keith was the one who filed for divorce and 364 00:32:06.799 --> 00:32:12.680 chose to represent himself in his filings. Keith demanded quote all assets, properties 365 00:32:12.720 --> 00:32:16.799 acquired, earnings and debts incurred before marriage and after separation, as well as 366 00:32:16.880 --> 00:32:22.920 quote all assets and properties acquired by inheritance, gift or device. Keith's ax 367 00:32:23.000 --> 00:32:27.599 agreed to the terms, and as such, all assets were split based on 368 00:32:27.680 --> 00:32:31.279 who had what when they were married, and the former couple agreed not to 369 00:32:31.319 --> 00:32:37.839 seek spousal support on either side. In twenty thirteen, Keith sold his house 370 00:32:37.880 --> 00:32:42.720 Sin San Gabriel, the one he purchased in August of nineteen eighty nine. 371 00:32:43.079 --> 00:32:46.319 After selling the house, Keith moved into an apartment with a roommate. Eventually, 372 00:32:46.319 --> 00:32:51.079 the roommates moved into a different home that Keith bought, yet maintained the 373 00:32:51.160 --> 00:32:55.119 same roommate agreement. Keith's former roommates said the men were very good friends until 374 00:32:55.200 --> 00:32:59.680 Keith took a trip to Taiwan for a month, when he returned, everything 375 00:32:59.759 --> 00:33:05.039 changed and Keith began ignoring the roommate and eventually completely froze him out and refused 376 00:33:05.039 --> 00:33:07.839 to even speak. The roommate gave up and moved out, and when he 377 00:33:07.920 --> 00:33:13.480 did, Keith attempted to withhold his portion seven hundred and fifty dollars to be 378 00:33:13.559 --> 00:33:16.759 exact of the security deposit, claiming that the sink was broken, when in 379 00:33:16.839 --> 00:33:22.200 reality it simply needed a good cleaning. The situation escalated to small claims court, 380 00:33:22.240 --> 00:33:27.519 and in January twenty fifteen, the roommate won the lawsuit and Keith was 381 00:33:27.640 --> 00:33:30.920 ordered to repay the seven hundred and fifty dollars security deposit, along with three 382 00:33:31.000 --> 00:33:36.559 hundred dollars in court costs. Keith wrote the roommate a check on the steps 383 00:33:36.599 --> 00:33:39.599 of the courtroom, and the two men never saw or spoke to each other 384 00:33:39.920 --> 00:33:45.519 ever again. After the lawsuit, he sold that house and purchased a mobile 385 00:33:45.559 --> 00:33:50.759 home within a trailer park. Keith used to frequent the Star ballroom every night, 386 00:33:51.319 --> 00:33:55.400 but over time his attendants waned until he stopped going completely. Other dancers 387 00:33:55.400 --> 00:34:00.759 claimed that Keith struggled to get along with others, neighbors and seemed to have 388 00:34:00.839 --> 00:34:04.839 issues with Keith. One even went so far as to describe Keith as a 389 00:34:04.920 --> 00:34:08.119 nice guy, and most of the neighbors just thought he was quote some quiet 390 00:34:08.119 --> 00:34:13.679 little guy. On the other hand, a former tenant claims that Keith was 391 00:34:13.760 --> 00:34:19.119 paranoid, trusting no one, and harboring hate towards others. Some people agreed 392 00:34:19.159 --> 00:34:22.800 with the assessment, while others simply thought he was quiet and a bit of 393 00:34:22.800 --> 00:34:27.639 a loner. And indeed, another neighbor described him as someone who quote didn't 394 00:34:27.639 --> 00:34:30.840 seem like he'd harm a fly. You know, he wasn't a big guy. 395 00:34:30.159 --> 00:34:34.960 He'd pet your dog when you'd walk by. At the time of the 396 00:34:35.000 --> 00:34:37.000 shooting, Keith was living in a mobile home in the lake at him At 397 00:34:37.000 --> 00:34:42.679 West, which is a senior community located approximately eighty miles east of Monterey Park. 398 00:34:43.840 --> 00:34:47.639 While opinions vary, there don't seem to be any severe red flags where 399 00:34:47.719 --> 00:34:52.159 it became clear that Keith was planning or intending to carry out such a disgusting 400 00:34:52.159 --> 00:34:57.920 act. He had a fairly limited criminal history, with only one apparent arrest 401 00:34:57.960 --> 00:35:01.559 for unlawful possession of a firearm in nine ninety. While it's a serious charge, 402 00:35:01.559 --> 00:35:06.079 to be sure, it's an automatic indicator of someone who will commit a 403 00:35:06.119 --> 00:35:10.320 mass shooting, it perhaps should have been enough to prevent the possession of firearms. 404 00:35:10.360 --> 00:35:14.840 Some red flags were beginning to emerge in the weeks and days leading up 405 00:35:14.840 --> 00:35:19.360 to the shooting. He visited the Heavent Police Department on both January seventh and 406 00:35:19.440 --> 00:35:22.400 January ninth, twenty twenty three, claiming that his family was poisoning him and 407 00:35:22.519 --> 00:35:28.320 trying to report a theft and fraud that transpired in la ten to twenty years 408 00:35:28.320 --> 00:35:32.400 ago. He claimed that he had documentation to prove his claims and that he'd 409 00:35:32.400 --> 00:35:38.440 return, but we know that never happened. It was clear that this shooter 410 00:35:38.599 --> 00:35:45.199 targeted this dance studio, but why was the second dance studio a part of 411 00:35:45.199 --> 00:35:49.079 his plan? Or did the shooter lose control after getting a taste for murder. 412 00:35:50.039 --> 00:35:53.480 It's equally clear that his mental health was deteriorating, perhaps quite rapidly. 413 00:35:54.119 --> 00:35:59.480 According to a CNN report dated July twenty fourth, twenty twenty three, the 414 00:35:59.480 --> 00:36:04.119 shooters at a manifesto to a local law enforcement agency, which may have included 415 00:36:04.199 --> 00:36:07.880 details of his plans for the shooting. No additional details have been released as 416 00:36:07.920 --> 00:36:13.199 of the writing of this episode, but if new information emerges, we will 417 00:36:13.280 --> 00:36:19.400 keep you listeners updated. We all have the unique ability to help prevent such 418 00:36:19.400 --> 00:36:23.320 a catastrophic event from happening if we keep our ears and eyes open and never 419 00:36:23.440 --> 00:36:30.320 hesitate to report when something or some one just doesn't seem right. With the 420 00:36:30.360 --> 00:36:35.639 delicate balance of mental health reform, education, active shooter training, and common 421 00:36:35.679 --> 00:36:39.400 sense gun laws, we may one day realize the dream, the dream that 422 00:36:39.440 --> 00:36:45.639 there will be no more active shootings. We pray that love will prevail over 423 00:36:45.719 --> 00:36:52.000 hate. In the meantime, we urge our listeners to stay aware of your 424 00:36:52.000 --> 00:36:55.239 surroundings and keep in touch with your loved ones. If you see something, 425 00:36:57.000 --> 00:37:07.360 say something, you never know how many lives you'll be saving. Thank you 426 00:37:07.400 --> 00:37:13.920 for listening to today's episode of Active Shooter the Podcast. Remember if you see 427 00:37:14.000 --> 00:37:19.360 something, say something, there's no telling how many lives you may be saving. 428 00:37:19.920 --> 00:37:22.719 A big thank you to Darren Curtis, who composed some of the songs 429 00:37:22.840 --> 00:37:30.199 on our show. You can find him online at www dot Darren Curtis music 430 00:37:30.639 --> 00:37:35.079 dot com. Make sure to check us out on social media. You can 431 00:37:35.119 --> 00:37:40.639 find us on Facebook at Active Shooter the Podcast and on Twitter at podcast Active. 432 00:37:42.559 --> 00:37:44.519 Thank you and be safe.