MONTEREY PARK, Calif. (WXIN) — President Joe Biden is ordering flags to be flown at half-staff after a mass shooting over the weekend took the lives of at least ten people.
On Sunday, President Joe Biden ordered that the flags at the White House, federal buildings and military posts be flown at half-staff “as a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence” during Lunar New Year celebrations in Monterey Park, California.
The White House issued the proclamation Sunday, the day after news broke of the mass shooting. The president has the power to order flags lowered to half-staff after tragic events, when heads of state die, or in other periods of mourning.
When flags are lowered in mourning, they should first be raised “briskly” to the top of the staff before being lowered halfway down, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The White House ordered the flags be flown at half-staff until sunset on Thursday, Jan. 26.
California Governor Gavin Newsom also ordered flags be flown at half-staff at all state buildings to honor the shooting victims.
Ten people were killed and 30 others were wounded at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio in Monterey Park. Within three minutes of receiving the call, the Associated Press reports officers arrived, according to Monterey Park Police Chief Scott Wiese. There, they found carnage inside and people trying to flee through all the doors.
The Associated Press reports that the suspect, 72-year-old Huu Can Tran, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound Sunday in the van that authorities say he used to flee after attempting to attack a second dance hall. The mayor of Monterey Park said Tran may have frequented the first dance hall that he targeted.
The massacre was the nation’s fifth mass killing this month. The Associated Press reports it was also the deadliest attack since May 24, when 21 people were killed in an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.
The Associated Press contributed to this report