Sheriff praises hero who disarmed Monterey Park gunman, saving "countless lives"

The Los Angeles County sheriff praised the man who wrestled a weapon away from the Monterey Park shooting suspect before he could carry out a second attack — calling him a "hero" who "saved countless lives."

At a news conference Monday, Sheriff Robert Luna said Brandon Tsay confronted the suspect, 72-year-old Huu Can Tran, in the lobby of a dance hall run by Tsay's family, the Lai Lai Ballroom in Alhambra.

"I'd like to take a second to also thank Mr. Brandon Tsay for his heroic action, which saved countless lives," Luna said. "He's the hero who disarmed the suspect at the Alhambra location and in my opinion saved many lives."

"What a brave man he is," the sheriff added.

The gunman shot and killed 11 people celebrating the Lunar New Year at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio in Monterey Park on Saturday night. 

Investigators say he then left the scene and drove a few miles away, entering the Lai Lai Ballroom in Alhambra about 20 to 30 minutes later. Tsay could be seen on surveillance footage wresting the gun away from him.

The sheriff said the gun was a "9mm semiautomatic MAC-10 assault weapon." 

Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis also thanked Tsay for his heroic actions on Saturday night. 

"I think that individual is a hero for all of us," she said of Tsay. "Someone who put their life at stake and actually prevented more deaths from occurring is a hero in my books."