Liu added that the timing of the massacre felt especially jarring, as Lunar New Year is supposed to be a period of celebration in Chinese and other Asian cultures.

"A shooting in the wake of the Lunar New Year? In the pits of our stomachs, we felt fear of the very real possibility that this could have been a hate crime committed against our community," Liu continued. "Was that so far fetched? Asian Americans continue to be attacked on the streets, so much so that many local police departments have set up dedicated hate crime units."

Monterey Park Mayor Henry Lo has confirmed since the shooting that it did not appear to be racially motivated, rather a nonetheless tragic incident of domestic violence that also targeted bystanders.

"My understanding is that he may have come because his ex-wife was reveling, celebrating the Lunar New Year," he told NBC News. "And it sounded like there was a history of domestic violence, which is unfortunate."

The incident has still shaken Asian communities within the United States, as Liu added that "seeing these images stirred up our worst fears and made us feel unsettled and unsafe."

"We feel no sense of 'relief'. People are dead, and a community is still in mourning. This is what it feels to be Asian in America today, during what should have been a joyous time," Liu concluded. "We are confused, sad, and heartbroken for the families of everyone affected by this senseless act. Please have compassion for us as we sort through it all."