Ming Wei Ma, a victim from Monterey Park, was a top-notch dancer, manager, and co-owner of the Star Ballroom Dance Studio. The victim, 72, was also a loving father.
On January 21, 2023, a mass shooting took place in Monterey Park, California. Nine people were hurt, but eleven people died.
Around 10:22 pm PST (UTC-8) that evening, the shooting took place at Star Ballroom Dance Studio after a daylong Lunar New Year Festival that had taken place close by.
Huu Can Tran, a guy in his early 70s, was recognized as the suspect. The next day, during a confrontation with Torrance Police, he shot himself in the head and died as a result.
It is the worst mass shooting in Los Angeles County history. One of the terrible incident’s victims was Ming Wei Ma.
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The deceased, 72, worked as a manager, co-owner, and dancing teacher at the Star dancing school. Mr. Ma was referred to by many around him as the lifeblood of Star Ballroom Dance Studio.
Daniel Buhala, the other co-owner of the dance school, praised Ming Wei Ma as a top-notch dancing teacher. Buhala said that the deceased victim of the incident had a high regard for others around him and was always thoughtful of them.
There is supposedly a sizable dance floor at the Star Ballroom. As a result, it was regularly used as a location for gatherings and other social activities.
Eric Chen, a San Gabriel pastor and educator, claimed that the studio slaughter was startling since it had always been a place where everyone felt at ease. Since late 2021, Chen has known Mr. Ma and he described him as nice and respectful to everyone.
The 72-year-old victim was her longtime dancing teacher, Monterey Park councilwoman Yvonne Yiu said, adding how devastated she is.
The council member expressed her desire to sing and dance in paradise with her master with great passion.
Dance and singing were Ming Wei Ma’s passions
Ming Wei Ma studied engineering at the South China University of Science and Technology.
But Shuhai Peng, a friend of his, disclosed that his genuine passions were music and dancing. The Monterey Park victim also served as the Leader of a WeChat group for Chinese vocalists that had more than 400 members.
Additionally, Peng stated that Mr. Ma periodically planned singing and dance events.
Ma could often be seen teaching, holding events, or simply hanging out with friends at the Star Dance Studio, which has since closed in light of the unfortunate incident.
Ray and Mary Ma, the children of Ming Wei Ma, officially started a GoFundMe on Monday, January 23, to raise money for Ma’s burial costs. It exceeded its $30,000 fundraising goal in the first eight hours after going live.
By Tuesday, when they had raised $45K, they had ended the donation. The family of Mr. Ma would fly over from China to be there for his burial.
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Victims at Monterey Park Besides
The mass shooting at Monterey Park resulted in eleven fatalities and nine injuries, as was previously reported. A comprehensive list of the fatalities was made public by the coroner’s office on Tuesday.
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