Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Spotlight On Gun Violence After Lunar New Year Mass Shooting
AP: Gunman In Lunar New Year Massacre Found Dead; Motive Unclear
Authorities searched for a motive for the gunman who killed 10 people at a Los Angeles-area ballroom dance club during Lunar New Year celebrations, slayings that sent a wave of fear through Asian American communities and cast a shadow over festivities nationwide. The suspect, 72-year-old Huu Can Tran, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Sunday in the van that authorities say he used to flee after being prevented from attacking another dance club. (Taxin and Dovarganes, 1/23)
The Washington Post: Monterey Park Shooter's Motive Unclear After Massacre Leaves 10 Dead
The massacre unfolded just as the Monterey Park community had begun to celebrate the arrival of the Lunar New Year. It sent a wave of fear through this predominantly Asian suburb of Los Angeles, turning a festive occasion into one marked by grief and shock. ... “Monterey Park should have had a night of joyful celebration of the Lunar New Year,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said on Twitter Sunday morning. “Instead, they were the victims of a horrific and heartless act of gun violence.” (Werner, Shammas, Kornfield and Slater, 1/22)
The New York Times: A 26-Year-Old Coder Wrested An Assault Pistol From The Gunman’s Hands, Preventing A Greater Tragedy.
Saturday night was winding down at the Lai Lai Ballroom & Studio, with less than a half-hour to go until closing. There were three people left on the spacious dance floor. Brandon Tsay, the third-generation operator of the family-run dance hall in Alhambra, was in the office off the lobby, watching the ballroom, when he heard the front doors swing close and a strange clang that sounded like metallic objects hitting one another. He turned around to see a semiautomatic assault pistol pointed at him. (Kim, 1/23)
Los Angeles Times: Two 'Heroes’ Grabbed Lunar New Year Suspect’s Gun, Likely Preventing Second Attack, Sheriff Says
After opening fire at a Monterey Park dance studio Saturday night, the Lunar New Year gunman went to a second dance facility not far away in Alhambra, which officials said appeared to be his next target. But when he arrived at Lai Lai Ballroom and Studio in Alhambra, he faced resistance. “The suspect walked in there, probably with the intent to kill two more people,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said. “But two community members disarmed him, took possession of his weapon, and the suspect ran away.” (Winton and Wick, 1/22)
Also —
The Washington Post: Safe Haven For Asian Immigrants Now Shares In Tragedy Of Gun Violence
The man who carried out the Saturday night shooting has been identified as Huu Can Tran, a 72-year-old old man of Asian descent. He was found dead on Sunday behind the wheel of a white van, and his motive remains unclear. But in the cool winter light of day, this city of about 60,000 people has turned sharply from a venue for celebration to one of grief, from suburban calm to frightening revelation. Despite its remove from Los Angeles County’s more violent neighborhoods, Monterey Park is just as vulnerable to gun violence in a state that has tried more than most to corral it with laws and regulations, many of its fearful residents said in the aftermath. Investigators are still determining if its ethnic character played any role in the attack, city and regional officials said. (Wilson, Thebault and Guo, 1/22)
The Washington Post: California’s Strict Gun Laws Don't Eliminate Violence, But They Have Helped
California has a reputation as a tough place to buy a gun.It’s home to mandatory waiting periods and background checks for firearms purchases. It bans so-called military-style assault weapons, one of just eight states, plus D.C., with such a law. And in 2016, it became one of the first states to pass a red-flag law, which allows authorities to remove firearms from someone believed to be a danger to themselves or others. ... But Saturday night’s horrific mass killing at a Monterey Park dance hall shows how the state’s strict gun laws are incapable of fully preventing gun violence in a country where gun ownership is widely considered a constitutionally protected right, firearms move freely between states with vastly different regulations and gun-control measures are dotted with exceptions. (Wilson and Frankel, 1/22)
The Washington Post: Physical Attacks Track Spikes In Hate Speech On Twitter, Researchers Say
Online researchers say that physical attacks in the United States have been tracking with Twitter spikes in some categories of hate speech, notably antisemitic and anti-gay slurs and rhetoric. New research to be released later this month by the misinformation tracker Network Contagion Research Institute suggests a connection between real-world incidents and variations of the word “groomer,” often aimed at gays and suggesting that they are adults bent on seducing children. Although polls indicate a significant minority of the population believes otherwise, gay people are not more likely to be predators than straight people. (Menn, 1/22)
Los Angeles Times: With A Mass Shooting In The News, Here Are Tips To Improve Your Safety And Your Mindset
A mass shooting can create terror and worry no matter where it happens. But that can feel more pronounced when it happens close to home. ... Experts in self-defense stress that being prepared and conscious of your surroundings is key if you find yourself caught in a violent incident. (Amato, 1/22)
More on the gun violence epidemic —
The Washington Post: Baton Rouge Club Shooting That Injured 12 Was ‘Targeted Attack,’ Police Say
Police in Baton Rouge are looking for at least one suspect after an early Sunday shooting at a nightclub injured a dozen people, including three left with life-threatening injuries. Officers responded to a shooting at Dior Bar and Lounge at 1:30 a.m. Lt. Bryan Ballard, who commands the Baton Rouge Police Department’s homicide division, referred to the shooting as a “targeted attack” during a news conference Sunday evening. (Somasundaram, 1/22)
The Washington Post: School Downplayed Warnings About 6-Year-Old Before Teacher’s Shooting, Staffers Say
The Virginia teacher who was shot by a 6-year-old student repeatedly asked administrators for help with the boy but officials downplayed educators’ warnings about his behavior, including dismissing his threat to light a teacher on fire and watch her die, according to messages from teachers obtained by The Washington Post. (Natanson and Jouvenal, 1/21)
