OAN Roy Francis
UPDATED 10:26 AM PT – Thursday, January 26, 2023
Authorities have provided an update on the weapons used during the Monterey Park mass shooting that took place on Lunar New Year in California.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said that authorities had recovered two weapons near the Star Dance Ballroom Studio. The two recovered weapons were a semi-automatic 9mm MAC-10, and a Norinco 7.62 x 25mm pistol.
The MAC-10, which had a modification to its trigger, was the weapon used to carry out the shooting. The 72-year-old suspect had stood at the door of the studio and fired the weapon inside. He had shot 42 rounds, killing 11 people.
The weapon, which was seen to have a suppressor attached to its barrel, is currently being examined by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
MAC-10s are illegal to own in California. The Sunshine State boasts some of the strictest gun laws in the country. The weapon also had a 30-round magazine, even though the state prohibits ownership of any magazine that holds more than 10 rounds.
It is believed that the shooter had switched magazines during the attack, an action which can happen within a matter of seconds, according to firearm experts.
Police say that after the shooting, the victim fled the scene and used the Norinco pistol to take his own life.
Investigators had also found a Savage Arms .308 caliber bolt action rifle and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in the suspects house while executing a search warrant.
Sheriff Luna also said that the suspect had not been to the Star Ballroom dance studio in over five years and that there was no clear connection to any of the victims.
The suspect, who had been arrested once before in 1997 for illegal possession of a firearm, had placed a motorcycle at the scene before the shooting. Authorities believe that he wanted to utilize the motorcycle as a getaway vehicle.
Captain Andrew Meyer of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau said that police are in possession of a video of the incident from inside the studio.
However, due to its extremely graphic nature it will not be released to the public at this time.
The victims from the shooting had been identified as Valentino Alvero, 68, Hong Jian, 62, Yu Kao, 72, Lilian Li, 63, Ming Wei Ma, 72, My Nhan, 65, Diana Tom, 72, Muoi Ung, 67, Chia Yau, 76, Wen Yu, 64, and Xiujuan Yu, 57.