The terrifying footage that captures a member of the community fighting off the the shooter who killed 11 people in Monterey Park on Saturday night has been released, showing the struggle between 26-year-old Brandon Tsay and the apparent mass murderer, 72-year-old Huu Can Tran.
Obtained by NBC News, the pair can be seen fighting in the lobby of the second location visited by the gunman.
The scene occurred approximately 20 minutes after Tran’s first rampage at the Monterey Park dance studio, where police confirmed Monday he used a semi-automatic assault pistol and found 42 shell casings.
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Authorities have hailed Tsay as a hero who saved multiple lives.
On Sunday, Tsay said he was in the office off the lobby of the Lai Lai Ballroom & Studio in Alhambra at around 10:35 p.m. on Saturday night when he was confronted by a man with a pistol.
“He was looking at me and looking around, not hiding that he was trying to do harm. His eyes were menacing,” Tsay told The New York Times.
Tsay, a coder who works part-time at Lai Lai’s ticket office, which was founded his grandparents and currently run by his older sister, said he had no idea that the gunman had massacred 10 people at another ballroom about 20 minutes earlier.
In a desperate bid to save himself, Tsay described grabbing the barrel of the weapon and fighting with the gunman—eventually taking control of the pistol.
The video, timestamped at 10:37 p.m., shows Tran, dressed in black, pacing in the lobby and loitering at the entrance.
Ten seconds later, he is seen fighting off someone, and Tsay appears from the doorway.
On NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt on Monday, Tsay said Tran remained silent throughout the ordeal, and his face remained stoic.
He explained the moment that Tran loiters around the doorway is when he is prepping his weapons. It was then, Tsay said, that he realized he had an opportunity.
“There was a moment I actually froze up, because I had the belief that I was going to die, my life was ending here at that very moment, but something amazing happened, a miracle actually.
“He started to try to prep his weapons so he could shoot everybody but it dawned on me that this was the moment to disarm him, I could do something here to protect everybody and potentially save myself.”
As Tsay lunges at him, Tran punches him and the pair struggle, though Tsay quickly takes the gun and uses it to hit Tran. The fight goes on, until Tsay manages to push Tran and get him off.
He then points directly at him, telling The New York Times on Sunday that as he pointed at the shooter, he shouted: “Go, get the hell out of here.”
Tran, appearing defeated, walks out, looking back directly at Tsay.
Authorities on Sunday said “two community members” had disarmed the shooter but Tsay and his family say security camera footage at the ballroom confirmed Tsay acted alone.
On Monday, LA County Sheriff Robert Luna said police discovered a .308 caliber rifle, cell phones, computers and items at Tran’s home that led investigators to believe he was manufacturing homemade firearm suppressors.
Read it at The New York Times
