Local

Impact of Lunar New Year murders deeply felt in PNW Asian communities

SEATTLE — The tragedy in Southern California has spread fear across the Asian diaspora, including here in the Pacific Northwest.

Security was high at the Lunar New Year celebration on Pier 62 Sunday, in the hours before the shooting suspect was found dead.

Now, people are still feeling the impact of this shooting in the Chinatown-International District.

A lot of people say they aren’t ready to talk about the shooting yet, coming as it did on a day that is supposed to be for celebrating.

That’s how close what happened in Southern California feels here.

The mood quickly turned somber in the Chinatown-International District on the first Monday after the tragic Lunar New Year weekend.

Indeed, for many here, the deadly shooting in Monterey Park, California, doesn’t feel so far away.

“We’ve had several incidents here in the International District, especially against elderly folks,” said Kayla Schoonhoven. “Which I find so incredibly heartbreaking.”

Schoonhoven works in the CID.

“A lot of me feels like a call to action,” she said. “But what do you do, you know? Where do you start?”

The suspect, a 72-year-old Asian man, targeted a ballroom where nearly everyone would be middle-aged and older and celebrating the Lunar New Year.

“You know, the people that got killed is about my age, you know,” said Richard Chang, “Between 50 and 60 years old.”

Chang owns the CID’s Kau Kau Restaurant.

“Yeah, it really upset me and the community itself,” he said.

What impact, he was asked, does the fact that the suspect is Asian have on him?

“That’s, that’s a little tricky,” Chang said. “Because why did he do it? We don’t know. He shot himself. So, the story will come.”

Until then, his murderous rampage will still be felt here, even by those who know little about it.

“I wouldn’t know what, what happened,” said Jackie Zahr, visiting from Portland, Oregon. “I just know a lot of people passed away, and very tragic on Chinese New Year.”

We also spoke to a University of Washington professor who says the fact that this happened on the eve of the Lunar New Year makes it that much more terrible, a time that is sacred to her and Asians across the world.