Pechanga tribe donates $100K to Monterey Park shooting victims fund

An Indigenous tribe donated $100,000 to a fund set up for the victims killed and injured in the Monterey Park mass shooting.

The Pechanga Band of Indians, a Southern California tribe, made the generous contribution to a GoFundMe page set up by a team of community-based organizations including several AAPI groups.

Pechanga Tribal Chairman Mark Macarro said the Monterey Park community welcomed the tribe to join their Lunar New Year festivities many years ago.

“Pechanga has made great friends and acquaintances through Monterey Park’s Lunar New Year Festival,” he said in a statement. “Like so many throughout California, we are deeply saddened by this tragedy and extend our deepest condolences and support for the victims.”   

The gift broke the goal initially set by the victims fund’s organizers for a total of $807,154 raised by Wednesday afternoon.

The target was then bumped to $900,000 as donations continued to pour in.

The organizers said 100% of donations received will go to “the many individuals who are now suffering from this senseless violence.”

Eleven people were killed and nine more were injured in the Lunar New Year massacre in which a 72-year-old gunman stormed into Star Ballroom Dance Studio and fired 42 shots Saturday night.

The dead have been identified as the women Xiujuan Yu, 57; Hongying Jian, 62; Lilan Li, 63; My My Nhan, 65; Muoi Dai Ung, 67; and Diana Man Ling Tom, 70 and the men Wen Tau Yu, 64; Valentino Marcos Alvero, 68; Yu Lun Kao, 72; Ming Wei Ma, 72; and Chia Ling Yau, 76.

Individual GoFundMe pages have been set up for the families of various victims as well to cover any funeral and/or medical costs.

Their killer, Huu Can Tran, shot and killed himself the following morning.