Monterey Park mass shooting: Here's what we know about the victims so far
MONTEREY PARK, Calif. (KABC) -- As community members mourn the 11 lives lost in the Monterey Park mass shooting, we're learning more about the victims and survivors.
Witnesses say about 50 people were inside the dance studio when the gunman opened fire Saturday night. Five women and five men are among the deceased victims, whose ages ranged from 50 to 70 years old, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner.
Four victims of the shooting were being treated at LAC+USC Medical. On Monday, officials confirmed that one of those patients died. They later reported that another one of those patients has been released, leaving the patient count to two as of Monday afternoon.
Identified victims of Monterey Park mass shooting
The rest have not been officially identified by authorities yet, but friends identified one of the people killed as dance instructor Ming Wei Ma. He was known for his patience and understanding.
Friends say he gave his life trying to save others.
"Mr. Ma, who is very beloved and respected in the dance community, and he's been doing that for over 20 years - he was trying to stop the shooter, and he passed away," friend Eric Chen said.
A survivor of the shooting, who identified herself as Shally, was dancing with her longtime friend and dance partner when the gunman walked in the Star Ballroom Dance Studio and opened fire.
She said she grabbed her dance partner and hid under a table. Her 62-year-old friend, whom she doesn't want to identify, was shot in the back and saved her during the shooting.
When the gunman left, she tried waking her dance partner up but she realized he had been shot.
Though still distraught, the family of Alvero released a statement Monday night, calling the 68-year-old a loving father, a dedicated son and a lover of ballroom dancing.
"Overnight, we became unwilling members of a community who has to mourn the loss of our loved ones due to gun violence," read the statement. "We are left frustrated, stuck with this vicious cycle."
The statement continued saying, "Most importantly, please remember that Valentino is more than just a headline or a news story."
"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."
According to the Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Los Angeles, the city's Taiwan consulate, two fishermen from Taiwan died in the shooting.
Their names, however, were not released.
"TECO-LA conveys our heartfelt condolences to the victims and their families and sends our prayers to the injured for a speedy recovery," read a statement published on the organization's website. "We are also providing necessary assistance to the family members of one of the Taiwanese American victims who live in Taiwan and plan to come to Los Angeles as soon as possible."
Meanwhile, seven of the 10 wounded people remained in the hospital Sunday night, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said.
The sheriff said the department usually doesn't disclose the names of hospitals where victims of violent crimes are being treated. But in this case, he said, a disturbing incident reinforces the decision to keep that information private.
"Somebody called one of those hospitals to say something along the lines of they want to go and finish the job," Luna said. "That is absolutely horrible."
"Please, these victims and survivors are dealing with so much. Let's not traumatize them more."
All families and victims impacted by the shooting are urged to go to the Langley Senior Center at 400 W. Emerson Avenue, where there is a crisis response team.
