People wary at Bay Area Lunar New Year events following SoCal shootings
SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco city officials have pledged to increase police presence at large gatherings for the upcoming Lunar New Year festivities.
READ MORE: 10 killed in Monterey Park dance studio shooting; suspect dead
From outside Chase Center, where lion dancers entertained the crowd before Sunday's Warriors game, to the halftime performance featuring traditional dancers, thousands of people rang in the Year of the Rabbit with family and friends.
Warriors fans received red envelopes at the door before watching the team take on the Brooklyn Nets.
Some also had heavy hearts in light of the senseless violence in Monterey Park.
"My mom's from Vietnam so our family, we celebrate it, we celebrate Tet and it's just really unfortunate to hear what happened especially in Monterey," said Kim Woods of Richmond. "Especially today when you want to get together, you want to celebrate as communities and then there's always a lingering fear of something can happen."
RELATED: Mass shooting brings heightened security to Bay Area Lunar New Year events
Woods and her son said they always feel extremely safe at Chase Center because of tight security.
"We know that they have the screenings when you come in and checking so we didn't think about it but I'm sure that the people who live in Monterey Park didn't think about that either," she said. "That's the unfortunate thing is: nobody goes into these places thinking 'Oh, there's going to be a safety issue.'"
Warriors fans also enjoyed family-friendly Lunar New Year activities at Thrive City.
There were plenty of police officers watching over the celebration.
"My buddy over here, actually who's not on camera, actually was carrying a duffle bag. I could see them looking," said Latimer Luis at Thrive City. "But I think the fact there are police out there makes me feel a lot safer."
From Mission Bay to Chinatown, crowds of people took part in traditions to mark the arrival of the Year of the Rabbit.
People gathered on street corners to set off fireworks. Others, including Cal students Jenny Chen and her friend, had Lunar New Year dinner.
"Just to see a mass shooting happen so close to where my family -- where I grew -- up is definitely scary to say the least," said Chen, who was born in Monterey Park. "As we're going about, obviously, there's a voice in the back of my head is like hopefully nothing happens, hopefully, you know, and thank God nothing has happened."
SFPD said it will have a visible presence in the Chinese community and throughout San Francisco in the coming weeks in light of the mass shooting.
