Honoring the Victims of the Monterey Park Shooting: Flags at Half-Staff Until Jan. 26
On January 23, 2023, President Joe Biden and governors across the United States ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff in honor of the victims of the mass shooting that occurred in Monterey Park, California over the weekend. The tragedy resulted in 10 people killed and 10 injured while they were celebrating the Lunar New Year.
The flags will be flown at half-staff until sunset on Thursday, Jan. 26.[0] This includes at the Indiana Statehouse, White House, all public buildings and grounds, military posts and naval stations, and all U.S. embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad.
Governor Tina Kotek of Oregon also issued an order for all flags at Oregon public institutions to be flown at half-staff Monday to honor the victims and survivors of the shooting.[1] Minnesota Governor Tim Walz echoed this sentiment, saying “gun violence has no place in our society. Everyone deserves to be safe and free from violence in schools, community gatherings, workplaces, at home, and everywhere in between.”[2]
Governors Eric J. Holcomb of Indiana, Andy Beshear of Kentucky, and Mike DeWine of Ohio all also issued orders that flags at all state office buildings be lowered to half-staff until sunset on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023.[3]
Governor Newsom of California issued a State of California proclamation to recognize the Lunar New Year and ordered flags at all state buildings to be flown at half-staff in honor of the victims of the Monterey Park shooting.[4] Newsom said in a news release, “As people throughout the country and the world welcome the Lunar New Year today, California stands with our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities reeling from the tragedy in Monterey Park. Our hearts are with all those grieving lost loved ones and those who were injured in this horrific act of gun violence at what should have been a night of joyful celebration.”
Our hearts are heavy in solidarity with the Asian American community and everyone impacted by the horrific incident in Monterey Park, CA. As the investigation of this heinous crime continues, we pray for the victims and send the support of all those honoring their lives.[5]
0. “Spokane city flags flown at half-staff Monday” KXLY Spokane, 23 Jan. 2023, https://www.kxly.com/news/local-news/spokane-city-flags-flown-at-half-staff-monday/article_23ef2b52-9b67-11ed-877e-075d7780a58b.html
1. “GOVERNOR ORDERS FLAGS LOWERED TO HALF-STAFF” kqennewsradio.com, 23 Jan. 2023, https://kqennewsradio.com/2023/01/23/governor-orders-flags-lowered-to-half-staff-2/
2. “Walz Orders MN Flags Hall-Staff to Honor Victims of Monterey Park Shooting” Fergus Now, 23 Jan. 2023, https://fergusnow.com/2023/01/23/walz-orders-mn-flags-hall-staff-to-honor-victims-of-monterey-park-shooting/
3. “Gov. Beshear Orders Flags to Half-Staff in Remembrance of Monterey Park Victims” Marshall County Daily.com, 23 Jan. 2023, https://www.marshallcountydaily.com/2023/01/23/gov-beshear-orders-flags-to-half-staff-in-remembrance-of-monterey-park-victims/
4. “Newsom Directs Flags To Fly At Half-Staff” MyMotherLode.com, 23 Jan. 2023, https://www.mymotherlode.com/news/local/2933531/newsom-directs-flags-to-fly-at-half-staff.html
5. “Gov. Cox orders flags to be lowered to honor Monterey Park victims” KSL NewsRadio, 23 Jan. 2023, https://kslnewsradio.com/1982635/gov-cox-orders-flags-to-be-lowered-to-honor-monterey-park-victims/