Victims’ Families File Wrongful Death Lawsuits After Mass Shooting at Dance Studio

The families of four victims killed in the Monterey Park mass shooting two years ago, in addition to one survivor, have filed wrongful death lawsuits against the estate of the shooter and the dance studio where the killings took place. The wrongful death lawsuits were filed on behalf of the loved ones of the victims who were of Asian descent.

According to the plaintiff’s lawsuit, Star Ballroom Dance Studio should have known about similar incidents of criminal activity in the area and failed to take reasonable steps to employ security measures such as security guards, video cameras, and adequate lighting in order to protect patrons from potential threats.

The two year anniversary of the incident recently passed on January 21st. The shooter, 72-year-old Huu Can Tran, of Hemet, killed 11 people and wounded nine others. Minutes later, Tran arrived at Lai Lai Ballroom & Studio in Alhambra but was stopped from entering and disarmed by a Good Samaritan who has since been lauded as a life-saving hero. The shooting marked the deadliest mass shooting in Los Angeles County history and took place on the eve of the Lunar New Year in a community that is majority Asian American. The day after the dance studio shootings, the gunman killed himself after being pulled over by police outside a strip mall in Torrance. The victims were almost all elderly and Asian. Many were regulars at the dance studio.

The wrongful death lawsuits seek an unspecified amount of monetary damages from the estate of Tran and from the dance studio. The owner of the Star Ballroom Dance Studio told Southern California News Group reporters that she would not reopen the business.

Is the dance studio responsible for these deaths? 

Negligent security lawsuits are a type of premises liability lawsuit that is filed against a business owner who allows a patron to attack and injure other patrons within the business. In the case mentioned above, the studio is alleged to have foreknowledge of security risks in the area before the mass shooting. Hence, the plaintiffs allege that the dance studio should have had security on hand when the shooting occurred.

All proprietors and property owners are responsible for the safety of their guests. This duty of care is especially important to proprietors who financially benefit from inviting others onto their premises. Proprietors who fail to implement security measures after a significant incident has occurred can be held liable under a theory of negligent security. It’s imperative, however, that the plaintiff make allegations that the proprietor should have known security problems were present in the area prior to the incident causing injury.

Talk to an Oakland CA premises liability lawyer today 

The Oakland, CA personal injury attorneys at Venardi Zurada represent the interests of individuals who have been injured due to the negligence of a proprietor. We serve the Bay Area from our office locations in Oakland and Walnut Creek. Call our Oakland personal injury lawyers today to schedule an appointment and we can begin investigating your claim immediately.

Source:

eastbaytimes.com/2025/01/22/wrongful-death-lawsuits-filed-2-years-after-mass-shooting-in-monterey-park/