Brandon Tsay, the 26-year-old San Marino man declared a hero for disarming the Monterey Park dance hall gunman after he entered a similar business in Alhambra — will be honored at the Alhambra Lunar New Year Festival on Sunday, Jan. 29.
Tsay, whose family operates Lai Lai Ballroom & Studio, has been praised for his quick action in grabbing a gun from Huu Can Tran, 72, of Hemet, who just minutes earlier had opened fire inside the Star Ballroom Dance Studio in neighboring Monterey Park, where 11 people were killed.
Tran would have likely killed others, authorities said, if not for the actions of Tsay.
Leaders will present him with a medal of courage from the Alhambra Police Department, and other honors, at 12:30 p.m. Sunday on the main stage of the festival.
Civic leaders will memorialize the victims of the tragedy, organizers said, who just a week earlier were enjoying ballroom dancing amid Monterey Park’s own Lunar New Year celebration.
Given the context, organizers expect a “slightly more subdued festival than years past, out of respect for the victims, their families, and all those impacted, including the small businesses in the city and region.”
“Creating community is an important goal under any circumstance,” said John Bwarie, CEO of the Alhambra Chamber of Commerce. “Now, we find that the ties between us matter most, because we can face this tragedy together and rise above it. We invite everyone in Southern California to celebrate the new year with us in Alhambra and show our strength and faith in the future.”
The Alhambra festival will include dance, art, candy-making and calligraphy. The event is from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday on Main and Second streets in Alhambra. Festival information is available at alhambralunarnewyear.com.
