An El Monte resident, U.S. citizen and community organizer alleges she was intimidated by immigration officers in an encounter she livestreamed on her Instagram account.

Maria Santay was driving Friday, Jan. 30, along Valley Boulevard in El Monte, keeping a watch for Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, when she had what she called an “alarming, traumatic” encounter with them. Santay and supporters said she was peacefully alerting local vendors to the enforcement activity when it occurred.

According to the video and news reports, Santay was approached by ICE officers, who she said were following her car. She drove toward the El Monte police station and began the livestream, when masked officers surrounded her car, boxed her in, drew their weapons and demanded she get out of the car before they broke through the window with a hammer and arrested her. The video also shows El Monte police later in the encounter and the video shows they did not get involved.

It happened by the Chevron station parking lot at Peck Road and Valley Boulevard around 2 p.m., Santay said.

“They’re slowly following me. They’re wasting their tax dollars on me … trying to intimidate me,” Santay tells the camera. “They’re drawing their guns on me.”

Through tears, she also says in the video, while trembling: “This is unbelievable. I’m a U.S. citizen. This is insane. They’re going to try to arrest me … Lord, please protect me. I don’t trust them.”

Multiple requests for comment from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which manages ICE and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, were not returned Sunday, Feb. 1, or Monday, Feb. 2. Jason Givens, a spokesperson with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, confirmed via email receiving a request for comment, but as of Monday evening had not provided a response.

Santay, who could not be reached Monday, Feb. 2, told ABC7 that she feared for her life.

“I thought, this was it. These are my last moments.”

“They threw me in their car, we got on the 10 Freeway, they took me all the way on a joy ride … and then they get off on an exit,” she said.

Santay was released later that day. The charges against her, according to news reports, include resisting arrest.

“That was unnecessary — I feel unsafe. He should have never, ever, ever pointed a gun at me,” Santay told L.A. Taco. “Because there’s no force. I am harmless, I am 125 pounds.”

A GoFundMe account — which over the weekend had already been fully funded and raised nearly $10,000 as of Monday — was set up by Santay’s friends and fellow organizers to help cover her car damages, legal fees, emotional distress and lost income.

Two days before the incident, Santay told the news media that she had been stopped by ICE officers while driving on the 10 Freeway and they told her it was “her first warning.”

“Turns out they weren’t stopping me; they were just intimidating me,” she later said.

On the GoFundMe page, organizers wrote that Santay was “peacefully observing and alerting local vendors and community members to immigration enforcement activity — an act that is legal and protected.”

“Witnesses report that El Monte Police Department was present and failed to intervene,” the GoFundMe account alleges.

“Maria was not committing a crime. She was exercising her rights and standing up for her community … no one should be targeted, threatened, or detained for protecting their community — especially not a U.S. citizen exercising their rights.”

In a Jan. 30 statement, the El Monte Police Department said it was responding to a request for assistance from Customs and Border Protection. Its officers arrived to “engage in conversation and de-escalation efforts,” the statement said, but they did not take part in the federal operation.

California Senate Bill 54 (SB 54) restricts local police involvement in federal enforcement activities, El Monte police said.

El Monte police only sought to ensure safety and order and are “committed to creating a safe environment for all residents, regardless of their immigration status.”

El Monte Mayor Jessica Ancona posted a statement on social media  saying that “what happened to Maria Santay caused real fear in our community — and our residents deserve answers, accountability and humanity.”

She called out fellow city councilmembers for “remaining silent while the community is hurting,” and encouraged El Monte residents to demand transparency, accountability and leadership.

“Even when local law enforcement is not participating in a federal operation, more can and must be done,” Ancona said. “… I stand with Maria Santay and with every resident who was shaken by what occurred. This incident caused real fear in our community, and we must take responsibility for learning from it.”

The now-viral video mostly sparked outrage online.

“What’s scary and sad is you can’t even fight back or try to get away without risking getting shot. Genuinely what are you supposed to do here,” another, @okneesuh, wrote.

Another user, @mysecretgarden13, commented, “If she’s scared, why harass them?”

Stephanie Berenice wrote on Instagram, “This is how intimidation works. Not just handcuffs, but fear. Not just arrests, but trauma. And still, Maria showed courage … it saved people. And it does not go unnoticed.”

Santay posted on Instagram on Sunday, Feb. 1, that she was continuing to patrol the streets to help community vendors and was grateful for the money raised and for those who support her.

She also said she will use the money to help “buy out at least one” detained street vendor and emphasized the trauma she’d feel driving around El Monte.

“It’s also the trauma of what’s happened to my people… the people we should be protecting …” she said Sunday on an Instagram Live. “I was being targeted for existing. I’m not just going to stand up for our people… our flower vendors, our pupuserías … but also for the community trying to speak up.”

On Monday, Feb. 2, Santay said on Instagram Live that a local business will fix her front windows and that the city of El Monte has been supportive.

The San Gabriel Valley city is comprised of more than 65% Latinos and nearly 30% Asians, as of the latest U.S. Census estimates.

“No matter what their status, I don’t want this to happen to anyone,” Santay said Monday. “People are starting to make noise — they’re starting to realize.”

The author was inspired to write her new picture book, “See You On the Other Side,” after she dreamt about it while pregnant with her daughter. Exploring grief as a universal human emotion, the children’s book is an ode to loved ones who have died, with the message that love will be cherished and carried on forever, Minor said.

“It’s a heart-opener. And the words are soothing, like a hug or a blanket. They’re so melodic – you can kind of tell it came from the dream space,” said the author, who lives in the Hollywood Hills.

Featuring evocative, detailed illustrations by artist Mariyah Rahman, the new book aims to be a comforting resource to children who may be grieving a death or who are learning about or coming to terms with the idea of loss.

Because the book itself is the result of loss.

Losing a friend

In 2020, she read an early version of what would become “See You On the Other Side” at the funeral of her friend, Broadway star Nick Cordero, who died during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cordero was married to Minor’s best friend, Amanda Kloots.

“A lot of people’s hearts were opened; there were a lot of tears,” she said. “It felt like it was for Elvis, their son, and for Nick.”

Seeing how people were moved at the funeral, Minor realized her words could provide solace to others – particularly young ones and families – experiencing feelings of loss. She wanted to write a book that would feel inclusive, comforting and uplifting.

Minor, whose debut, “The Sun, Moon and Stars,” was published in 2021, hopes “See You On the Other Side” reframes loss and brings families together to heal, especially in challenging times.

Minor collaborated with illustrator Mariyah Rahman who created the illustrations to pair with her words on grief and comfort.

Rahman, who is from Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean, got into “kid lit” illustration after going to the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena. With “See You On the Other Side” her second picture book, Rahman said that her art style is a reflection of her diverse background, growing up in a mixed family from India, Venezuela and China. Her first book, “Plátanos Are Love,” explores Afro-Latine culture.

“I want any kids who read books that I illustrate to know there are so many kids who look like them,” Rahman said, “especially in a book about grief, to know that they’re not alone.”

She illustrated her deceased dog, Sunshine, in the book as a way to honor him, and dedicated the book to other pets who have passed away. Even her grandmother is reflected in one of the pages.

Reflecting a diverse world

Of the book’s illustrations, Rahman said it was “fun to research different cultures.” Included in the images, there’s a girl placing a letter on the family ofrenda, an altar for Día De Los Muertos, surrounded by orange jacaranda flowers, marigolds and plates of pan dulce; a same-sex couple plays with their child; an Indian family makes traditional bread together.

There’s even a spread about anger, because “it’s very natural to be angry when there’s a big change; something that’s hard to wrap your head around,” Minor said. “After the anger, the storm’s gonna blow over, we can get to the other side.

“You see the things, the shared experiences, the grief, that links us all together. There are feelings of grief coming from kids all over the world.”

Minor agreed that when she was growing up it was hard to find books with people of color in them, so she’s made a mission to make her books more inclusive.

“There’s a (drawing) that looks like my daughter, and she’s like, hey, that’s me,” she said. “I just think it’s so helpful for children to be able to see a reflection back – it lets them relate to it more, and to open their hearts more.”

Minor hopes the book will remind readers young and old of “the truth: that we are all one.”

“We want everyone to feel at home, and to see other cultures and families on the pages,” she said. “One thing that’s always constant is change – and we’re not immune to loss. So I think it is a gift to be able to introduce these topics with children, even in difficult times. We can get to the other side of it if we stay connected to our hearts and to each other. We will see the other side of it.”

“See You On The Other Side” is available online and in stores now. 

The author was inspired to write her new picture book, “See You On the Other Side,” after she dreamt about it while pregnant with her daughter. Exploring grief as a universal human emotion, the children’s book is an ode to loved ones who have died, with the message that love will be cherished and carried on forever, Minor said.

“It’s a heart-opener. And the words are soothing, like a hug or a blanket. They’re so melodic – you can kind of tell it came from the dream space,” said the author, who lives in the Hollywood Hills.

Featuring evocative, detailed illustrations by artist Mariyah Rahman, the new book aims to be a comforting resource to children who may be grieving a death or who are learning about or coming to terms with the idea of loss.

Because the book itself is the result of loss.

Losing a friend

In 2020, she read an early version of what would become “See You On the Other Side” at the funeral of her friend, Broadway star Nick Cordero, who died during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cordero was married to Minor’s best friend, Amanda Kloots.

“A lot of people’s hearts were opened; there were a lot of tears,” she said. “It felt like it was for Elvis, their son, and for Nick.”

Seeing how people were moved at the funeral, Minor realized her words could provide solace to others – particularly young ones and families – experiencing feelings of loss. She wanted to write a book that would feel inclusive, comforting and uplifting.

Minor, whose debut, “The Sun, Moon and Stars,” was published in 2021, hopes “See You On the Other Side” reframes loss and brings families together to heal, especially in challenging times.

Minor collaborated with illustrator Mariyah Rahman who created the illustrations to pair with her words on grief and comfort.

Rahman, who is from Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean, got into “kid lit” illustration after going to the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena. With “See You On the Other Side” her second picture book, Rahman said that her art style is a reflection of her diverse background, growing up in a mixed family from India, Venezuela and China. Her first book, “Plátanos Are Love,” explores Afro-Latine culture.

“I want any kids who read books that I illustrate to know there are so many kids who look like them,” Rahman said, “especially in a book about grief, to know that they’re not alone.”

She illustrated her deceased dog, Sunshine, in the book as a way to honor him, and dedicated the book to other pets who have passed away. Even her grandmother is reflected in one of the pages.

Reflecting a diverse world

Of the book’s illustrations, Rahman said it was “fun to research different cultures.” Included in the images, there’s a girl placing a letter on the family ofrenda, an altar for Día De Los Muertos, surrounded by orange jacaranda flowers, marigolds and plates of pan dulce; a same-sex couple plays with their child; an Indian family makes traditional bread together.

There’s even a spread about anger, because “it’s very natural to be angry when there’s a big change; something that’s hard to wrap your head around,” Minor said. “After the anger, the storm’s gonna blow over, we can get to the other side.

“You see the things, the shared experiences, the grief, that links us all together. There are feelings of grief coming from kids all over the world.”

Minor agreed that when she was growing up it was hard to find books with people of color in them, so she’s made a mission to make her books more inclusive.

“There’s a (drawing) that looks like my daughter, and she’s like, hey, that’s me,” she said. “I just think it’s so helpful for children to be able to see a reflection back – it lets them relate to it more, and to open their hearts more.”

Minor hopes the book will remind readers young and old of “the truth: that we are all one.”

“We want everyone to feel at home, and to see other cultures and families on the pages,” she said. “One thing that’s always constant is change – and we’re not immune to loss. So I think it is a gift to be able to introduce these topics with children, even in difficult times. We can get to the other side of it if we stay connected to our hearts and to each other. We will see the other side of it.”

“See You On The Other Side” is available online and in stores now. 

Dr. Al B. Harper, a physicist and friend of the Silver Surfer, is one of Marvel’s original Black characters, first appearing in “Silver Surfer #5,” which was published in 1969.

Harper’s character — originally created by late Marvel comics legends Stan Lee and John Buscema  — has come back to life as a cosmic superhero in a new mini-series, “Silver Surfer: Ghost Light,” created by graphic novelist John Jennings and artist Valentine De Landro.

Jennings, the writer, is a professor of media and cultural studies at UC Riverside who has been involved with local exhibitions that showcase Black comic book heroes. He said the character of Ghost Light has been nearly 60 years in the making.

“Al Harper was the Silver Surfer’s first human friend, and he ended up having to sacrifice his life,” said Jennings, 52. “He was this character living in the woods, who was used to talk about issues of civil rights. … He didn’t have a background, a family. It just didn’t feel right for him to be in the ground when he saved the world.”

The new series is also the first time Silver Surfer, a fan-favorite cosmic hero from the planet Zenn-La, is in the hands of an all-Black creative team. Jennings hopes it’s one step in his ongoing work to diversify the comic book industry, and start conversations about race in media.

In the original story from 1969, Harper sacrifices his life to help the Silver Surfer and save humanity from an alien bomb. The Silver Surfer marks Harper’s grave with a cosmic flame, symbolizing his heroic deed.

The new series picks up a decade after his death, as Harper’s relatives are moving into his old house in fictitious Sweetwater, New York. Josh and Toni Brooks make discoveries in the house, including a secret lab, and release the Ghost Light — their formerly-deceased uncle, Dr. Al B. Harper — who has a new, mysterious energy.

Jennings saw great potential in bringing Harper’s character back to life, with cosmic abilities that come from the Silver Surfer’s powers. He pitched the idea of a mini-series to Marvel, which greenlighted the project in 2020, and started working with other Black creatives for the project over the past few years.

“For the most part, when a Black character dies, he stays dead,” Jennings said. “So for (Marvel) to say this character is important enough to actually give a family, people that love him; that makes him real. It gives a character humanity.”

Jennings said that he wanted to avoid past harmful media and cultural stereotypes that have too often dehumanized diverse characters, especially in the political superhero world. Instead, he said, he wants to center the modern Black experience, struggles and triumphs included.

“A great deal of why Al Harper was created was to talk about race in America,” Jennings said. “The original story (in Silver Surfer #5) is called ‘And Who Shall Mourn for Him?’ Stan Lee was asking Marvel fans, ‘If a Black man gave his life for yours, would you care? Would you grieve?’”

Jennings said that Ghost Light’s suit design is influenced by Afro-futurism, African Sankofa symbols, and Afro-centric color schemes. He wants to bring Harper’s character — which debuted purposely during the 1960s civil rights movement, a year after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s death — into modern-day context.

“It’s important for Black folks to see themselves represented, to have positive role models,” Jennings said. “If I can extend my empathy to these characters, then people reading this — White, Latinx, whatever — should be able to extend their empathy too. Because I want you to mourn for him, which is what Stan Lee asked … because all of these (diverse) stories matter.”

Jennings is working with Marvel on an upcoming guide, “My Super Hero is Black,” which gives a chronological look at Black characters in the Marvel universe from 1950 to the present day. Harper was introduced in the Silver Surfer a few months before Sam Wilson, aka the Falcon, and three years after the Black Panther.

“It’s empowering for people to see themselves as heroes, especially people who are traditionally looked at as villains … not powerful or contributing anything to history,” Jennings said.

Marvel’s “Silver Surfer: Ghost Light” will have five total editions released monthly online and at local comic book shops through June. A full paper-back series, released in fall, is available for pre-order.

Dr. Al B. Harper, a physicist and friend of the Silver Surfer, is one of Marvel’s original Black characters, first appearing in “Silver Surfer #5,” which was published in 1969.

Harper’s character — originally created by late Marvel comics legends Stan Lee and John Buscema  — has come back to life as a cosmic superhero in a new mini-series, “Silver Surfer: Ghost Light,” created by graphic novelist John Jennings and artist Valentine De Landro.

Jennings, the writer, is a professor of media and cultural studies at UC Riverside who has been involved with local exhibitions that showcase Black comic book heroes. He said the character of Ghost Light has been nearly 60 years in the making.

“Al Harper was the Silver Surfer’s first human friend, and he ended up having to sacrifice his life,” said Jennings, 52. “He was this character living in the woods, who was used to talk about issues of civil rights. … He didn’t have a background, a family. It just didn’t feel right for him to be in the ground when he saved the world.”

The new series is also the first time Silver Surfer, a fan-favorite cosmic hero from the planet Zenn-La, is in the hands of an all-Black creative team. Jennings hopes it’s one step in his ongoing work to diversify the comic book industry, and start conversations about race in media.

In the original story from 1969, Harper sacrifices his life to help the Silver Surfer and save humanity from an alien bomb. The Silver Surfer marks Harper’s grave with a cosmic flame, symbolizing his heroic deed.

The new series picks up a decade after his death, as Harper’s relatives are moving into his old house in fictitious Sweetwater, New York. Josh and Toni Brooks make discoveries in the house, including a secret lab, and release the Ghost Light — their formerly-deceased uncle, Dr. Al B. Harper — who has a new, mysterious energy.

Jennings saw great potential in bringing Harper’s character back to life, with cosmic abilities that come from the Silver Surfer’s powers. He pitched the idea of a mini-series to Marvel, which greenlighted the project in 2020, and started working with other Black creatives for the project over the past few years.

“For the most part, when a Black character dies, he stays dead,” Jennings said. “So for (Marvel) to say this character is important enough to actually give a family, people that love him; that makes him real. It gives a character humanity.”

Jennings said that he wanted to avoid past harmful media and cultural stereotypes that have too often dehumanized diverse characters, especially in the political superhero world. Instead, he said, he wants to center the modern Black experience, struggles and triumphs included.

“A great deal of why Al Harper was created was to talk about race in America,” Jennings said. “The original story (in Silver Surfer #5) is called ‘And Who Shall Mourn for Him?’ Stan Lee was asking Marvel fans, ‘If a Black man gave his life for yours, would you care? Would you grieve?’”

Jennings said that Ghost Light’s suit design is influenced by Afro-futurism, African Sankofa symbols, and Afro-centric color schemes. He wants to bring Harper’s character — which debuted purposely during the 1960s civil rights movement, a year after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s death — into modern-day context.

“It’s important for Black folks to see themselves represented, to have positive role models,” Jennings said. “If I can extend my empathy to these characters, then people reading this — White, Latinx, whatever — should be able to extend their empathy too. Because I want you to mourn for him, which is what Stan Lee asked … because all of these (diverse) stories matter.”

Jennings is working with Marvel on an upcoming guide, “My Super Hero is Black,” which gives a chronological look at Black characters in the Marvel universe from 1950 to the present day. Harper was introduced in the Silver Surfer a few months before Sam Wilson, aka the Falcon, and three years after the Black Panther.

“It’s empowering for people to see themselves as heroes, especially people who are traditionally looked at as villains … not powerful or contributing anything to history,” Jennings said.

Marvel’s “Silver Surfer: Ghost Light” will have five total editions released monthly online and at local comic book shops through June. A full paper-back series, released in fall, is available for pre-order.

Sheriff Robert Luna of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, at podium, holds a press conference outside Monterey Park City Hall in Monterey Park on Sunday, January 22, 2023 to announce the name of the suspect in the mass shooting at Star Dance Studio. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A man prays as he joins a group of religious leaders from all faiths during a prayer circle outside Monterey Park City Hall in Monterey Park on Sunday, January 22, 2023 to pray for the victims of the mass shooting at Star Dance Studio. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A group of pastors and others join in a prayer circle at the intersection of Garvey Avenue and N. Garfield Avenue in Monterey Park on Sunday, January 22, 2023 to pray for the victims of the mass shooting at the Star Dance Studio. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Hannah Koester, 26, of Pasadena, left, embraces Lor-Shing Hsu, 29, of Alhambra during a prayer circle outside Monterey Park City Hall in Monterey Park on Sunday, January 22, 2023 to pray for the victims of the mass shooting at Star Dance Studio. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Despite a mass shooting in Monterey Park the night before, thousands of spectators are show up for the Westminster Tet Parade celebration on Sunday, January 22, 2023. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Congresswoman Judy Chu discusses the recent mass shooting that occurred in Monterey Park at the Monterey Park City Hall on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna and Monterey Park Chief of Police Scott Wiese during the press confrence about the recent mass shooting that occurred in Monterey Park at the Monterey Park City Hall on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Monterey Park Mayor Henry Lo, second from right, joins others in prayer outside Monterey Park City Hall in Monterey Park on Sunday, January 22, 2023 for the victims of the mass shooting at the Star Dance Studio. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The morning after a chaotic, heartbreaking Sunday spent responding to the shocking attack on a Monterey Park dance hall — the investigation ending with a suicide in a shopping center parking lot on the other side of the county — law enforcement and local leaders alike on Monday, Jan. 23, will strive to find the answers to the myriad questions left in the aftermath of the nation’s deadliest mass shooting since last year’s Uvalde, Texas, massacre.

A gunman killed 10 and injured another 10, some critically, inside a Monterey Park ballroom late Saturday, turning a festive night of celebrating the Lunar New Year into one of terror, and setting off a hunt for the suspect that stretched into the South Bay – which ultimately ended with the man shooting himself.

Update: Monterey Park mass shooting death toll now at 11

The following day, initially meant to continue the new year festivities, suddenly became mournful as the 61,000 residents of Monterey Park – as well as the rest of Southern California – awoke to news of bloodshed in the normally sleepy town.

As the manhunt continued, experts discussed how the shooting could rekindle fears in the wider Asian American community that has struggled with a recent rise in hate crimes – even as the shooter’s motives remain unknown – while the proliferation of firearms and gun violence in America once again moved to the center of political debates.

The day ended, however, in something resembling bittersweet victory.

The suspect, Huu Can Tran, was dead – by his own hand. More death had been avoided, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, when two community members in nearby Alhambra disarmed the man at a second dance studio.

And, multiple officials said, the community could now begin to heal.

“Feel safe. You are no longer in danger because the shooter is dead,” said U.S. Rep. Judy Chu, who represents the area and once served as Monterey Park mayor. “This community is resilient. What I see at this moment is that we are indeed resilient. We are stronger together.”

The downtown area of Monterey Park, a city east of Los Angeles with a population that’s about 65% Asian, enjoyed a joyous mood earlier Saturday as thousands converged to welcome the Year of the Rabbit.

But shortly after the city’s Lunar New Year event ended, chaos unfolded.

A man, who Luna later identified as Tran, 72, sprayed gunfire into the Star Ballroom Dance Studio, on West Garvey Avenue, which had been filled with folks continuing the Lunar New Year revelry.

Five men and five women were left dead. Details on the victims had not been released by Sunday evening.

Within minutes, Monterey Park police officers had converged on the scene, benefitting from the Police Department being close to the ballroom and still having folks working the site of the city celebration, said Chief Scott Wiese.

The officers, Wiese said during a Sunday morning press conference, saw people flood out of the dancehall.

But they did not find Tran.

Instead, he apparently made his way north to Alhambra.

The man, seen in surveillance footage wearing eyeglasses and what appeared to be a beanie, entered the Lai Lai Ballroom, about three miles away, Luna said Sunday evening.

But before bloodshed could begin there, Luna said during the day’s last press conference, two community members disarmed him.

The weapon found there, Luna said, was a semiautomatic pistol with an extended magazine – meaning it could hold more ammunition than normal.

That weapon, Luna said he believed, is not legal in California.

Related: Suspect in Monterey Park massacre may have had illegal semi-automatic handgun

“I consider the two men to be heroes,” Luna said of those who stopped a second shooting from happening. “It could have been much worse.”

But when police arrived in Alhambra, Tran was once again gone.

By dawn, a full retinue of law enforcement agencies had begun investigating the mass shooting.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department ultimately took over the investigation.

At the Sunday morning press conference, details were relatively scant, though Luna did say there was a white “van of interest” and said detectives were keeping “an open mind” to any possible motives.

Those motives were still unknown, at least publicly, as Sunday ended.

Tran apparently switched out the van’s plates, Luna said, and traveled about 31 miles southwest across the county to Torrance, the South Bay’s largest city.

Torrance police officers, on the lookout, spotted the van near Sepulveda and Hawthorne boulevards, not far from the Del Amo shopping center.

The van pulled into a shopping center and officers left their patrol vehicles to approach it, Luna said.

And a single shot rang out.

The officers, Luna said, retreated and called for backup. Two armored vehicles boxed in the van.

The area was blocked off with crime tape, and the area became a dramatic mise-en-scene, with LASD officials saying they feared the van could have explosives or chemicals.

A hazardous materials team and the bomb squad were called in. At one point, a sheriff’s helicopter – one of many circling the area – touched down in a nearby Amazon Go parking lot.

SWAT confirmed Tran was dead, Luna said.

He shot himself. The driver’s side window was pierced with a bullet hole.

Investigators recovered a handgun from the van, Luna said later Sunday. They also found multiple pieces of evidence that tied Tran to both the Monterey Park shooting and the interrupted one in Alhambra.

But the public would have to wait several hours, until a Sunday evening press conference in Monterey Park, to hear official word from Luna that the gunman was dead.

Across the county, meanwhile, Alhambra’s downtown – filled with scores of families, friends, local officials and vendors celebrating the Asian community’s biggest holiday – was similarly shut down.

Police and media members populated the area instead.

Crime tape circled the dance studio’s building, one of many in an area populated with strip malls.

Elected officials, including President Joe Biden — who decreed that flags be flown at half-staff on all government buildings until sunset on Thursday — and Gov. Gavin Newsom — who touched down in the city to meet with officials and residents — offered their support for Monterey Park.  Clerics prayed for the city, including the Los Angeles region’s archbishop.

“My heart is broken for the victims, their families, and the people of my hometown Monterey Park who were impacted by the mass shooting that took place during a night of Lunar New Year celebrations,” said Rep. Judy Chu, the area’s congresswoman.

Asian American organizations also decried the shooting.

“Monterey Park should have had a night of joyful celebration of the Lunar New Year,” Newsom said on social media. “Instead, they were the victims of a horrific and heartless act of gun violence. Our hearts mourn as we learn more about the devastating acts of last night.”

Educators and administrators in four different school districts serving the city’s residents worked to offer help to students impacted by the shooting and their families. Local officials launched a resource center for residents not far from the shooting site.

Some Lunar New Year events planned elsewhere for Sunday were canceled, though others continued as planned.

The USC Pacific Asia Museum, for example, nixed its festival on Sunday, out of respect for the victims and to be cautious. The Tet Festival, in Orange County’s Little Saigon, went on as planned, as did a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Jose Gomez in Chinatown.

Other organizations, including Stop AAPI Hate, which collects data on rising Asian American hate crimes, issued a statement, declaring that mass shooting contributed to an enduring unease that has plagued the community in recent years.

“Our community has faced so much tragedy and trauma over the last several years,” the group said. “This tremendous act of violence, on one of the most important days of the year for many Asian Americans, at a place where Asian American families come to gather and celebrate, is sending shockwaves through our community.”

At Monterey Park City Hall, meanwhile, a memorial was set up for those looking for a place to collectively grieve.

The memorial started small, with only a smattering of balloons and flowers, but it was expected to grow. A community vigil is planned there Monday night.

A crisis center for families of victims and others was also set up at the Langley Senior Citizen Center. In the afternoon, there was a prayer circle outside.

Later Sunday night, police pulled down the crime-scene tape that had closed off the ballroom.

Kristina Hayes is familiar with the ballroom’s interior.

The building’s storefront exterior belies what’s inside, said Hayes, an instructor there since 2001. It has a large, proper ballroom, she said, with the “exquisite floors” having plenty of space on which dancers can whirl around.

Pedro Corado, an Inglewood resident, was the first to lay flowers and a candle outside the building, once the crime scene tape was gone.

“It didn’t just hurt Monterey Park, it hurt LA,” Corado said. “You don’t want something like this to pass over without notice.”

Earlier Sunday evening, Luna – with a gaggle of other law enforcement and elected officials behind him – stepped to the lectern to reveal the identity of the shooter who hurt the community and his apparent suicide.

Yet the investigation continues — spanning the Southland: Law enforcement officials, for example, executed a search warrant around 8 p.m. at the senior community in Hemet, said Alan Reyes, a spokesperson with that city’s Police Department.

Tran lived there, he said.

What officials were looking for, though, wasn’t immediately known. And other questions also remain unanswered.

How, for one, was Tran connected to the dance studios – or was he? Why did he rain bullets inside a building meant to bring the community together, and during a celebration no less? How did he obtain his weapons?

Clarity, officials said, will hopefully arrive in the coming days.

But for now, there are other, more personal concerns, such as whether the critically injured will recover, how will the community support the victims’ families and how will residents feel safe again.

One resident who lives across the street from the senior center, for example, said the shooting has shattered his feeling of safety in his city.

“That’s not something I thought could ever happen in Monterey Park,” said Eric Ching. “But it was here, and it took the lives of 10 people and another 10 are in the hospital fighting for the right to live.”

Monterey Park Mayor Henry Lo broke down and cried when discussing the tragedy.

“I haven’t slept in 24 hours,” he said. “It’s overwhelming.”

And the Monterey Park community is grieving.

Staff writers Josh Cain, Ryan Carter, Yusra Farzan, Ruby Gonzalez, Emily Holshouser, Kristy Hutchings, Hunter Lee, Hannah Lykke, Brian Rokos, Kaitlynn Schallhorn, Linh Tat and Allyson Vergara contributed to this report.

A gunman killed 10 and injured another 10, some critically, inside a Monterey Park ballroom late Saturday, turning a festive night of celebrating the Lunar New Year into one of terror, and setting off a hunt for the suspect that stretched into the South Bay – which ultimately ended with the man shooting himself.

Update: Monterey Park mass shooting death toll now at 11

The following day, initially meant to continue the new year festivities, suddenly became mournful as the 61,000 residents of Monterey Park – as well as the rest of Southern California – awoke to news of bloodshed in the normally sleepy town.

As the manhunt continued, experts discussed how the shooting could rekindle fears in the wider Asian American community that has struggled with a recent rise in hate crimes – even as the shooter’s motives remain unknown – while the proliferation of firearms and gun violence in America once again moved to the center of political debates.

The day ended, however, in something resembling bittersweet victory.

The suspect, Huu Can Tran, was dead – by his own hand. More death had been avoided, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, when two community members in nearby Alhambra disarmed the man at a second dance studio.

And, multiple officials said, the community could now begin to heal.

“Feel safe. You are no longer in danger because the shooter is dead,” said U.S. Rep. Judy Chu, who represents the area and once served as Monterey Park mayor. “This community is resilient. What I see at this moment is that we are indeed resilient. We are stronger together.”

The downtown area of Monterey Park, a city east of Los Angeles with a population that’s about 65% Asian, enjoyed a joyous mood earlier Saturday as thousands converged to welcome the Year of the Rabbit.

But shortly after the city’s Lunar New Year event ended, chaos unfolded.

A man, who Luna later identified as Tran, 72, sprayed gunfire into the Star Ballroom Dance Studio, on West Garvey Avenue, which had been filled with folks continuing the Lunar New Year revelry.

Five men and five women were left dead. Details on the victims had not been released by Sunday evening.

Within minutes, Monterey Park police officers had converged on the scene, benefitting from the Police Department being close to the ballroom and still having folks working the site of the city celebration, said Chief Scott Wiese.

The officers, Wiese said during a Sunday morning press conference, saw people flood out of the dancehall.

But they did not find Tran.

Instead, he apparently made his way north to Alhambra.

The man, seen in surveillance footage wearing eyeglasses and what appeared to be a beanie, entered the Lai Lai Ballroom, about three miles away, Luna said Sunday evening.

But before bloodshed could begin there, Luna said during the day’s last press conference, two community members disarmed him.

The weapon found there, Luna said, was a semiautomatic pistol with an extended magazine – meaning it could hold more ammunition than normal.

That weapon, Luna said he believed, is not legal in California.

Related: Suspect in Monterey Park massacre may have had illegal semi-automatic handgun

“I consider the two men to be heroes,” Luna said of those who stopped a second shooting from happening. “It could have been much worse.”

But when police arrived in Alhambra, Tran was once again gone.

By dawn, a full retinue of law enforcement agencies had begun investigating the mass shooting.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department ultimately took over the investigation.

At the Sunday morning press conference, details were relatively scant, though Luna did say there was a white “van of interest” and said detectives were keeping “an open mind” to any possible motives.

Those motives were still unknown, at least publicly, as Sunday ended.

Tran apparently switched out the van’s plates, Luna said, and traveled about 31 miles southwest across the county to Torrance, the South Bay’s largest city.

Torrance police officers, on the lookout, spotted the van near Sepulveda and Hawthorne boulevards, not far from the Del Amo shopping center.

The van pulled into a shopping center and officers left their patrol vehicles to approach it, Luna said.

And a single shot rang out.

The officers, Luna said, retreated and called for backup. Two armored vehicles boxed in the van.

The area was blocked off with crime tape, and the area became a dramatic mise-en-scene, with LASD officials saying they feared the van could have explosives or chemicals.

A hazardous materials team and the bomb squad were called in. At one point, a sheriff’s helicopter – one of many circling the area – touched down in a nearby Amazon Go parking lot.

SWAT confirmed Tran was dead, Luna said.

He shot himself. The driver’s side window was pierced with a bullet hole.

Investigators recovered a handgun from the van, Luna said later Sunday. They also found multiple pieces of evidence that tied Tran to both the Monterey Park shooting and the interrupted one in Alhambra.

But the public would have to wait several hours, until a Sunday evening press conference in Monterey Park, to hear official word from Luna that the gunman was dead.

Across the county, meanwhile, Alhambra’s downtown – filled with scores of families, friends, local officials and vendors celebrating the Asian community’s biggest holiday – was similarly shut down.

Police and media members populated the area instead.

Crime tape circled the dance studio’s building, one of many in an area populated with strip malls.

Elected officials, including President Joe Biden — who decreed that flags be flown at half-staff on all government buildings until sunset on Thursday — and Gov. Gavin Newsom — who touched down in the city to meet with officials and residents — offered their support for Monterey Park.  Clerics prayed for the city, including the Los Angeles region’s archbishop.

“My heart is broken for the victims, their families, and the people of my hometown Monterey Park who were impacted by the mass shooting that took place during a night of Lunar New Year celebrations,” said Rep. Judy Chu, the area’s congresswoman.

Asian American organizations also decried the shooting.

“Monterey Park should have had a night of joyful celebration of the Lunar New Year,” Newsom said on social media. “Instead, they were the victims of a horrific and heartless act of gun violence. Our hearts mourn as we learn more about the devastating acts of last night.”

Educators and administrators in four different school districts serving the city’s residents worked to offer help to students impacted by the shooting and their families. Local officials launched a resource center for residents not far from the shooting site.

Some Lunar New Year events planned elsewhere for Sunday were canceled, though others continued as planned.

The USC Pacific Asia Museum, for example, nixed its festival on Sunday, out of respect for the victims and to be cautious. The Tet Festival, in Orange County’s Little Saigon, went on as planned, as did a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Jose Gomez in Chinatown.

Other organizations, including Stop AAPI Hate, which collects data on rising Asian American hate crimes, issued a statement, declaring that mass shooting contributed to an enduring unease that has plagued the community in recent years.

“Our community has faced so much tragedy and trauma over the last several years,” the group said. “This tremendous act of violence, on one of the most important days of the year for many Asian Americans, at a place where Asian American families come to gather and celebrate, is sending shockwaves through our community.”

At Monterey Park City Hall, meanwhile, a memorial was set up for those looking for a place to collectively grieve.

The memorial started small, with only a smattering of balloons and flowers, but it was expected to grow. A community vigil is planned there Monday night.

A crisis center for families of victims and others was also set up at the Langley Senior Citizen Center. In the afternoon, there was a prayer circle outside.

Later Sunday night, police pulled down the crime-scene tape that had closed off the ballroom.

Kristina Hayes is familiar with the ballroom’s interior.

The building’s storefront exterior belies what’s inside, said Hayes, an instructor there since 2001. It has a large, proper ballroom, she said, with the “exquisite floors” having plenty of space on which dancers can whirl around.

Pedro Corado, an Inglewood resident, was the first to lay flowers and a candle outside the building, once the crime scene tape was gone.

“It didn’t just hurt Monterey Park, it hurt LA,” Corado said. “You don’t want something like this to pass over without notice.”

Earlier Sunday evening, Luna – with a gaggle of other law enforcement and elected officials behind him – stepped to the lectern to reveal the identity of the shooter who hurt the community and his apparent suicide.

Yet the investigation continues — spanning the Southland: Law enforcement officials, for example, executed a search warrant around 8 p.m. at the senior community in Hemet, said Alan Reyes, a spokesperson with that city’s Police Department.

Tran lived there, he said.

What officials were looking for, though, wasn’t immediately known. And other questions also remain unanswered.

How, for one, was Tran connected to the dance studios – or was he? Why did he rain bullets inside a building meant to bring the community together, and during a celebration no less? How did he obtain his weapons?

Clarity, officials said, will hopefully arrive in the coming days.

But for now, there are other, more personal concerns, such as whether the critically injured will recover, how will the community support the victims’ families and how will residents feel safe again.

One resident who lives across the street from the senior center, for example, said the shooting has shattered his feeling of safety in his city.

“That’s not something I thought could ever happen in Monterey Park,” said Eric Ching. “But it was here, and it took the lives of 10 people and another 10 are in the hospital fighting for the right to live.”

Monterey Park Mayor Henry Lo broke down and cried when discussing the tragedy.

“I haven’t slept in 24 hours,” he said. “It’s overwhelming.”

And the Monterey Park community is grieving.

Staff writers Josh Cain, Ryan Carter, Yusra Farzan, Ruby Gonzalez, Emily Holshouser, Kristy Hutchings, Hunter Lee, Hannah Lykke, Brian Rokos, Kaitlynn Schallhorn, Linh Tat and Allyson Vergara contributed to this report.