"Kind Couple"·"Smart Child"... US Media Also Mourn Korean American Shooting Tragedy

Korean Family Victimized in 'US Mass Shooting'
"They Were Very Kind" Mourning Procession

A Korean-American family tragically lost their lives in a mass shooting at a shopping mall on the outskirts of Dallas, Texas, with major U.S. media outlets focusing their coverage on the incident.

On the 9th (local time), the U.S. daily The New York Times (NYT) introduced the victims of the incident under the headline "A 6-year-old child was injured and lost their parents," sharing the story of the couple Kyu-sung Jo (37) and Shin-young Kang (35).

The Cho family featured on the American fundraising and sponsorship site 'GoFundMe'. [Image source=GoFundMe]

NYT relayed the words of neighbor Christie Kim, who often socialized with the Jo couple. Kim said, "They were quiet and introverted, preferring to stay at home, but they were very kind." Kim mentioned that since becoming neighbors in 2018, she often attended birthday parties with the couple and their eldest son, who is the same age as her own son, and that they also attended church together.

NYT also introduced content from the website of Jo’s law firm, where it stated, "Born in Korea and raised in Dallas as an immigrant, I have a deep pride, respect, and gratitude for the 'American Dream.'"

CNN also reported that a fundraising page on GoFundMe was set up to support the Jo family, along with an interview with Trinity Whitley, the deceased 3-year-old son’s daycare teacher.

Whitley told CNN affiliate local station WFAA, "That child loved elephants, was lovely, smart, and very cute. In fact, I had never met such a smart 3-year-old before," expressing condolences by saying, "That innocent child did nothing wrong." She added, "We miss him every day, and there will not be a day when we don’t think of him."

CNN also shared an interview with Dr. Rumer, the dean of the dental school from which Kang graduated. Dr. Rumer said of Kang, "He was very kind and always did his best to help improve his patients’ health," adding, "We will miss him greatly and send our condolences to his family and friends."

People gathered to mourn the Dallas outlet shooting incident. [Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

The Dallas outlet mass shooting occurred on the 6th at an outlet mall in the Dallas suburbs, Texas, when shooter Mauricio Garcia (33) opened fire indiscriminately. The shooter was shot and killed by police at the scene. Local police are investigating the possibility of a hate crime motivated by white supremacy, among other angles.

The incident resulted in 8 deaths and 7 injuries. The list of victims includes the Korean family: Jo, Kang, and their second son James Jo (3). Jo’s eldest son, William Jo (6), has been moved out of intensive care and is receiving treatment. It is known that they had visited the mall to exchange clothes for their child in a different size.

Meanwhile, the Dallas Korean Association issued a statement of condolence, saying, "A shooting occurred at Allen Premium Outlets located in the Allen area, a place frequently visited by Korean residents, resulting in the shocking tragedy of three Korean family members losing their lives," adding, "(They) were members of our Korean community, a beautiful family known for their good reputation and devoted faith life."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.