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Singaporean fatally shot at US gun range

The man, was identified on Sunday as Lionel Tan, 36, was taken to a local hospital just before noon on Saturday (Jan 14) and pronounced dead at 12.09pm.

The Raahauge shooting range. Photo: Facebook

The Raahauge shooting range. Photo: Facebook

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SINGAPORE — A Singaporean was fatally shot at a gun range in California on Saturday (Jan 14), according to US media reports. 

The shooting occurred at 11.35am at Raahauge Shooting Enterprises in Corona, California, according to a coroner’s report on the Riverside County Sheriff Department’s website. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, which is investigating the fatality, has deemed the shooting accidental, but investigations are still ongoing. 

The man, was identified on Sunday as Lionel Tan, 36, a resident of Hawaiian Gardens. Tan was taken to a local hospital just before noon and pronounced dead at 12.09pm.

The gun range was closed on Saturday afternoon while the Sheriff’s Department conducted its investigation but reopened on Sunday. 

On Facebook, Mr Gabriel Estrada, a friend of Tan, put up a post saying: “Our sudden loss yesterday of our friend is truly starting to sink in. Freak accidents happen, proving how short life can be.”

Mr Estrada set up a crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe.com to raise money to pay for the funeral expenses, saying: “Lionel immigrated here from Singapore on his own several years ago and attended Purdue University. He studied Aerospace Engineering and most recently, he had been the Project Engineer on the Gold Line Connector in Downtown Los Angeles.

“Lionel is survived by his family in Singapore and they are beginning to make the journey here to pick up their son, brother and take him home. As you all know, this will not be an easy process but all of us here will make sure our brother makes it back home to his final resting place.”

As of writing, the amount raised reached US$17,170 (S$24,558) - the original goal was to raise US$10,000.

When contacted, Mr Estrada told TODAY that he could not discuss any details as “there is still an investigation of the accident going on”. 

“Lionel will be greatly missed and he has many friends that are here to support the family,” he added.

On the GoFundMe page, Mr Estrada described Tan as a “good man and friend”.

“He (Lionel) was always the first to offer a helping hand or a kind word. He expressed positivity and compassion in everything he did with a dedication to healthy living and a strong work ethic. This world was a better place with Lionel in it; Our friend will truly be missed.”

According to the GoFundMe page, Tan’s family will be arriving in the US on Tuesday (Jan 17). There will be a memorial for Tan in the US, before a family mass and service will be held back in Singapore.

Tan was a student at Tampines Junior College before pursuing further studies in the US, according to his Facebook page. His LinkedIn profile showed that he had worked in the US for at least 10 years as an engineer.

On the incident, Mrs Cindy Raahauge Shenberger, the range manager, told The Press Enterprise: “We don’t know exactly what happened”. She declined further comment on the incident, but said it was the first such incident in more than three decades at the outdoor range. 

According to the Raahauge gun range website, the facility offers several activities including shooting instruction, pheasant and duck hunting, dog training, a sporting clay range and more.

The popular range was closed for several days in November last year after a fire burned several buildings and caused US$2 million worth of damage. An electrical malfunction caused the fire, according to a statement released by Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.

The crowdfunding campaign can be found at: Support Lionel's Final Journey Home

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