In the week since he wrestled a gun away from a mass killer, Brandon Tsay, 26, of San Marino has received a medal of courage from the Alhambra Police Department and an invitation from President Joe Biden to be his guest at next week’s State of the Union address in Washington, D.C.
“The situation still feels so surreal to me,” said Tsay, who on January 21 was helping out at the Lai Lai Ballroom, a dance hall his grandparents founded in Alhambra, when he spotted and disarmed the gunman. He described his bravery on Sunday, Jan. 29 by saying, “I didn’t think I would do what I did.”
Police later found the gunman dead from a self-inflicted gunshot in Torrance.
Adding to the praise by leaders ranging from POTUS to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, on Sunday local political representatives, school district officials and business leaders gathered at the 29th annual Alhambra Lunar New Year Festival to recognize Tsay. Among them were the mayors of Monterey Park and Alhambra, councilmembers from both cities, Congresswoman Judy Chu, state Sen. Susan Rubio, state Assemblymember Mike Fong, Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis, and Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.
Tsay said he thought of the 11 victims who were killed in the attack at Star Ballroom Dance Studio as his friends. The same community of dancers who spent their Saturday nights at Star in Monterey Park also danced most Sunday afternoons at Lai Lai Ballroom in nearby Alhambra.
Complete coverage: Monterey Park shooting
“I realize that life is fragile,” Tsay said after being greeted with prolonged applause from the Alhambra Lunar New Year Festival crowd. “I feel we as a community should spend our precious time reaching out to each other. I want for all the victims’ families to be able to heal and to be able to find joy again.”
Tsay told the audience that even though the new year started tragically, “We have the rest of the year to spread compassion and build back our community. We can mend and grow from this tragedy.”
His appearance made the festival “the most significant of any gathering we’ve had before,” said John Bwarie, chief executive officer of the Alhambra Chamber of Commerce.
The turnout, estimated at about 20,000, turned out to be safe, if a bit soggy because of intermittent showers.
Alhambra police chief Kelly Fraser said it is important to allow everyone to come together as a community.
“Our hearts are with the Monterey Park community, but this affects everyone,” Fraser said. “I’ve met so many people today who are here because they want to be here. This community is so resilient, so loving and caring.”
In a wheelchair, Sylvia Solis, 57, of Alhambra was bundled up against the rain and cold. The retired nurse worked at Garfield Medical Center in Monterey Park and remembers meeting victim Ming Wei Ma, 72, who offered the nurses dance lessons.
“I’m here because Brandon’s our hero,” the nurse said. “He saved a lot of lives. And I’m so grateful for our city. I’m 31 years in Alhambra, and I had to be here.”
Christopher Balmaseda, president of the chamber’s executive committee, led a moment of silence for the victims of an incident “that touches us to our core.”
Adele Andrade-Stadler, mayor of Alhambra called the festival “a wonderful celebration of healing.”
“We’re not afraid to celebrate what is great about our community,” she said, adding that Alhambra owes Tsay “a debt of gratitude.”
Rep. Judy Chu reminded the crowd that victims of the mass shooting came from Vietnam, Taiwan and China, and that some lived through war before making it to this country. “They came to Star Dance Studio to dance away their worries,” she said. “We need to heal. We need to tell stories that inspire us and highlight the lives we lost. These are the people that define us and make our community what it is.”
Chu joked that she beat President Biden to inviting Tsay to be her guest at next week’s State of the Union address.
“I can’t believe you turned me down for the President,” Chu said.
Sen. Susan Rubio said the courage Tsay had in the moment was incredible.
“You give us hope in a time of mourning,” Rubio said. “You are my hero. And it’s OK to continue to dance and celebrate to honor the people we lost.”
The ceremony was punctuated by shouts of “Go, Brandon!” “Good job!” and many “Thank-yous” as well as chants of “Bran-don” which the guest of honor acknowledged with a shy smile.
Supervisor Hilda Solis said it was important to see the outpouring of support people had for each other at the gathering.
“There is hope for us as we move along,” she said. “We will take the time to grieve, mourn and show our resiliency.”
Sheriff Robert Luna said victims are the first thing he talks about after a tragedy, and he told the crowd, “We have to do more to say ‘This has got to stop. This is not acceptable under any circumstances.’”
Luna recognized other heroes who took action in the aftermath of the shooting, from police and fire department personnel to professionals in mental health services.
“So many good things come out of something so awful,” Luna said. “I was in awe of his heroics,” he said of Tsay. And he suggested a new career for him: “I asked him if he was interested in becoming a deputy sheriff. I think he’d make an outstanding law enforcement officer.”
Lisa Wong, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, said her staff will be fanning out in the community to offer guidance.
“It’s helpful for people to gather, to feel that they don’t have to be a victim in this, and that they can overcome,” Wong said. “It shows we’re going to keep going forward.”
Becki Pang, 41, of Alhambra, spent an hour crafting a pink, black and gold sign thanking Tsay on one side, and listing the victims’ names on the reverse.
“I wanted to meet a hero in real life, an Asian superhero,” she said. “We’re all one community and we are stronger in numbers.”
Yibo Wang, 16, of Alhambra, waited in line to meet Tsay and take a picture with him and three of his Alhambra High School friends.
“He’s a hero and we needed to meet him,” he said.
Jaron Lee, 30, of San Gabriel, said he needed to thank Tsay for stopping the massacre.
“My dad goes to ballroom dance halls too,” he said. “What Brandon did in seconds was courageous. We all want to have that courage, not just in the AAPI community. We need more people like Brandon.”
Christine Huey, 50, of Millbrae and her husband John Tam, 57, drove seven hours from the Bay Area to attend the festival. Tam graduated from Mark Keppel High School in Alhambra in 1985.
“Things fell into place, so we drove, not thinking there would be an opportunity to talk to him,” Huey said. “I told him I hope he takes this opportunity to make something of his life. And I thanked him. This helps us heal.”
Jun Ohnuki, 52, of Alhambra said “it is important to make one distinction about Brandon Tsay. He’s not a celebrity. He’s a hero.”