When news broke about the tragedies in Monterey Park and Moon Bay last month, many students were deeply affected as the Monterey Park shooting occurred near campus. With Cal State LA being located less than five miles from Alhambra, it is one of the nearest cities where students go and hangout during their free time from school.

Since the tragedy in Monterey Park, business major Justin Tran, pointed out that the ones who were also affected are the Asian business owners in the city. Due to the tragedy, Tran said that businesses are struggling and have become slow as “everyone is still scared to come out to Garvey Ave.”

“Monterey Park used to be a safe neighborhood where many tourists and people in the San Gabriel Valley community would go eat noodle soups, dim sum, or Hong Kong style breakfast,” Tran said.

With almost experiencing a close call himself, Tran expressed how thankful he was that some of his family did not attend the festival, despite how close they lived to where the shooting took place.

The Center for Student Involvement (CCI) and students attended a candlelight vigil for the victims of the Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay mass-shooting that occurred in January. Hosted by the Cross Cultural Center (CCC), students were able to attend and pay their respects during the evening in front of Student Union (US-U) plaza.

On the stage, there were 11 lit candles to represent the 11 people who lost their lives in the Monterey park shooting. Small electric candles were passed around to attendees of the vigil to show the communities’ solidarity with the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. A memorial wall was placed at the vigil to dedicate to the victims of these shootings as well. Those at the vigil were encouraged to write their thoughts and prayers onto notes to hang on the memorial wall.

The speakers touched on topics such as gun control, violence, culture, mental health, the various communities in Monterey park, and remembering the victims. Attendees were also allowed to speak at the podium to voice their thoughts, grieve and pay respects to those affected by the shootings.

Supporters lined up to place their notes onto the memorial wall.

Andrea Dominguez, a sociology grad student, said she felt close to the Monterey Park and Alhambra communities and had to realize that these tragedies can happen anywhere. Dominguez said that the thought of coming together and what they can do as a community moving forward helped her write something on the memorial wall.

“It happened at a dance hall, so I just wrote something really short. ‘I hope you continue to dance.’ For the people who passed away and for the people who were impacted by it too,” Dominguez said.

As the vigil progressed, sympathizers placed their candles to join the 11 candles up on the stage.

With the tragedy of Monterey Park happening near campus, Lorena Márquez, director for the CCC, said that the CCC wanted to give the proper space for people to heal.

“In this tragedy, we’ve seen the opportunity to be able to gather in community and I think that’s the hope and the light that we’re seeing in all of this,” Márquez said.

In the first few weeks of 2023, 41 mass shootings occurred in the United States, according to gunviolence.org. Compared to the 34 mass shootings that occurred in January 2022, this marks a 21% increase in tragedies involving gun violence.

The shooting in Monterey Park occurred at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio during a late Saturday night. The aftermath of the assault left 20 casualties, according to the LA Times.

The shooter left the scene to reappear later at another dance studio, Lai Lai Ballroom and Studio near Alhambra, but was disarmed of his weapon there, and he left the premises. The following Sunday morning, the shooter was located but died from a self-inflicted gun wound.

Cal State LA sent out a university-wide email, listing out resources for students in need of grief counseling and for events like the vigil being offered throughout the entire week.

The email also included availability for grief counseling in the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) conference room located in the student health center.

A website link for employees is also available for assistance. Life Matters can be accessed by either calling 1-800-367-7474 or visiting the Life Matters website. The password is GOEAGLES.

Another email also stated that CAPS compiled a list of mental health resources for students to help gather their thoughts and other ways to help support the victims, loved ones and others from the Asian American Pacific Islander community.