Brandon Tsay honored during President Biden's State of the Union address
A man President Joe Biden called a "genuine hero" for his intervention in the Monterey Park mass shooter's attempts to continue his killing spree, is attending tonight's State of the Union address by special invitation from the President.
After gunman Huu Can Tran shot into a crowd at the Monterey Park Star Ballroom Dance Studio Jan. 21, striking 20 people and killing 11, he fled about 30 minutes to the Lai Lai Ballroom in Alhambra. Here, Brandon Tsay, 26, confronted Tran and wrestled a gun out of his hands. The incident was caught on a surveillance camera.
Tsay is credited with preventing more shooting deaths as it was learned that Tran was intending more violence at the Alhambra dance hall.
"He thought he was going to die, but then he thought about the people inside," said Biden. "In that instant, he found the courage to cart and wrestled the semi-automatic pistol away from a gunman who had already killed 11 people at another dance studio."
Tsay has humbly accepted countless awards and honors, including a personal thank-you from the President.
During a ceremony where the Alhambra Police Department presented Tsay with a medal of courage, he commented on the lives lost and the need to take action.
"I realized that life is fragile," Tsay said "I feel that we as a community should spend our precious time reaching out to one another. Most of the victims I knew personally. They would always come by the dance studio, and I considered them friends. They were some of the most caring people I have ever met. And for them to be taken from us is such an excruciating experience."
"I want everyone to take their time to grieve, to mourn, to recover," he said. "But after, I want us, the people of this nation, to take action."
Tsay sat in the same box as first lady Jill Biden for President Joe Biden's State of the Union address. As Biden honored the 26-year-old, he called for gun control reform.
"He saved lives," said Biden. "It's time we do that same as well. Ban assault weapons once and for all. We did it before."
Other notable State of the Union special guests include Tyre Nichols's parents, Bono and Paul Pelosi among others.