“A Massacre in Monterey Park”

The rise in violence against Asians in America has been well documented, and so, too, was the mass shooting in the majority-Asian city of Monterey Park, California. That shooting left the community scarred. Twenty reporters at the Los Angeles Times documented the horrific toll of the shooting, spotlighted the resiliency of the immigrant community there and chronicled its recovery.

On Lunar New Year’s Eve 2023, a gunman opened fire in the Star Ballroom Dance Studio. The shooting killed 11, many of them regulars, and wounded 10 others. The L.A. Times produced a tribute article that combines headshots of the deceased and interviews with their loved ones with various videos of dancing taken over the years in the studio, creating a compelling juxtaposition of life and death. The team used audio interviews with survivors in another article chronicling the minute-by-minute timeline of the shooting, along with photographs and 3D renderings of the studio. The reporters covered the announcement of the gunman’s identity (he was also Asian) and lack of known motive. They delved into his life story and background.

Months after the shooting, the reporters covered newly enacted legislation in Monterey Park that severely limited where gun dealers could set up shop there. They examined the continuing search for answers by the community. The team’s own knowledge of Chinese culture and fluency in the Mandarin language helped it better share the stories of the Monterey Park community.

Article by: Leyla Shokoohe