Thoughts & Prayers in the Aftermath of the Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay Mass Shootings

This past Saturday night, eleven people were killed and nine others injured in the southern California community of Monterey Park during annual celebrations of the Lunar New Year. Yesterday, seven people were killed and one injured in a mass shooting at a farm in Half Moon Bay, a small community in northern California’s San Mateo County. This rapid succession of horrific acts of violence have left individual families and communities devastated, and many left wondering what motivated the perpetrators of these acts to harm others.

Gonzaga University has many alumni, students, and families from California and we stand with all those affected by these terrible incidents. We offer our deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and send our thoughts and prayers for healing to those who were injured.

A cornerstone of our university’s culture is our care for one another. In the wake of these terrible events, it is important to know that even as we may not know the “why,” we are a community that seeks to support one other. Click here for more information about care and support resources. Let us consider ways as well to advocate for social change – here and around the world – that leads to a decrease in violence of all kinds, and an increase in safety and stability for all peoples.