Samantha Gross

Another issue highlighted by the shootings is the need for increased mental health care, particularly for Asian-American communities and for elderly people who are at a higher risk of feeling isolated.

According to the National Latino and Asian American Study, only 8.6% of Asian-Americans seek out mental health services and resources, compared to 18% of the general US population. This disparity has several causes. Many Asian-Americans come from cultures where talking about mental health is taboo. Struggles with mental health are seen as weakness, distractions from success, and a lack of self-control that hinders you from taking care of yourself and others. The model minority myth coupled with high expectations of immigrant parents who left everything to come to the United States to allow their children opportunities to succeed make many AAPIs feel trapped and unable to seek help. Other obstacles include language barriers and lack of awareness of mental health resources.

We do not know if either of the gunmen have diagnosed mental illnesses, but both suspects reportedly had trouble controlling their emotions. The Monterey Park shooter was described as having a “temper” and was “hostile” to a lot of people at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio, but did not have a history of violence according to those who knew him. On the other hand, the Half Moon Bay shooter does have a history of violence – in 2013, a temporary restraining order was filed against him after he allegedly threatened and tried to smother one of his former coworkers. Additionally, the Half Moon Bay attacker targeted specific people while he went on his shooting spree, indicating he had a personal vendetta against them.

Furthermore, in a jailhouse interview conducted by NBC Bay Area’s Janelle Wang, the Half Moon Bay shooter said he was bullied by coworkers and worked long hours at the farms, concerns that went unaddressed by his supervisors. He said he believes he is suffering from a mental illness and wants to be evaluated by a doctor, and that he was not in his right mind the day of the shootings.

Surely both men would have benefited from anger management training, emotional regulation techniques, and/or other mental health services. Let me be clear: mental illness does not excuse heinous acts such as killing people, but with proper intervention, perhaps things would not have escalated to the point where the gunmen became convinced that committing mass murder was the only way to resolve conflict. Mental illness is not an excuse for committing crimes but may be a contributing factor.

Being attentive to mental health does not mean only seeking care for diagnosable mental illnesses; it also means learning to be in tune with and regulate your emotions on a day-to-day basis. Mental health care should be emphasized and provided for everyone, with a focus on underrepresented populations such as Asian-Americans, immigrants, and the elderly.

And now we turn to another aspect of mental health: how do AAPI communities process, cope with, and heal from the collective trauma of these events? Individually and collectively, we experience grief, anger, fear, and despair. We are not okay. We need more support and resources to break the stigma against mental health in our own communities. There must be systemic change.

But in the meantime, we can start small. We can check in on each other. We can share the mental health resources we know about. We can engage our families and even those outside of our AAPI communities in conversations about how the shootings have impacted us, what we’re thinking, what we’re feeling. We can share and listen and support one another.

The onus should not be completely on us, either. If you’re non-Asian, check in on your AAPI friends. Let them know you’re thinking about them. Let them know you’re there to listen and support them. It might feel awkward to reach out, but it speaks volumes and helps your AAPI friends know they’re not alone.

After the Atlanta spa shootings in March 2021, where a white gunman targeted and killed Asian-Americans (particularly Asian-American women), I received an email from my boss, a white woman. It was short and sweet. The gist was: “I don’t know what to say in the wake of these tragedies, but know that I am thinking of you and grieve with you.” I was touched. That’s all it takes – a quick, one-sentence email or text.

I was devastated after the Atlanta spa shootings, and I am devastated again after this week’s shootings in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay. But I know I am not alone. I know my feelings and experiences are valid. I know we can lean into one another’s humanity to get through dark times like this.