AMERICAN society continues to be frightening after another mass shooting incident in California claimed the lives of 11 people, one of them a 68-years old Filipino-American during the celebration of the Chinese New Year last Sunday, January 22, 2023 (Monday morning in Manila).
The Fil-Am fatality was identified as Valentino Alvero, 68, now a US citizen. He was among the 11 persons killed in a mass shooting inside a ballroom dance studio in California.
Alvero was among the victims of 72-years old Huu Can Tran, also an Asian immigrant, who fired indiscriminately at Monterey Park. It was reported that the fatalities are in their 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.
“Our prayers go out to the families of the victims, and we mourn with them during this Lunar New Year festival, which is supposed to be a time of gathering and celebration,” according to the Philippine Consulate General based in Los Angeles.
“After closely monitoring the incident and sustained coordination with law enforcement, Filipino-American organizations and media, the Consulate General received tragic news that one kababayan, Mr. Valentino Alvero, 68 years of age, a United States citizen of Filipino descent, was among the casualties of the shooting,” the Consulate said.
One of the motives being investigated in the incident by the US authorities is jealousy or grudge.
Aside from the Monterey shooting, authorities are likewise investigating another shooting incident in Half Moon Bay in Northern California which resulted in the death of seven people.
According to a report by CNN (see link here), quoting the figures from ‘Gun Violence Archive,’ there have been 607 mass shooting incidents in the US as of November 22, 2022.
The group defines an incident as a ‘mass shooting’ where at least 4 people were shot, not including the suspect.
From the report, 2021 was thus far the worst year for mass shooting in America with 690 incidents while 610 incidents were reported in 2020.
And 2023 may be the start of another bloody year in America—if not worse–waas Gun Violence Archive also reported that the incident in Monterey was already the 33rd mass shooting in America in the first month of the year (see link here).
The figures compiled mean that for the last three years, on the average, at least one mass shooting involving a minimum of 4 victims has been happening anywhere in the United States every single day.