It tugs our heartstrings to hear tragedies befalling fellow Singaporeans, especially when said tragedy occurs so far away from home.
It’s been an emotional week for the loved ones of Lionel Tan, who was fatally shot at a US range last Saturday, Jan 14. He was 36 at the time of death.
The freak accident occurred around 11.35am at Raahauge Shooting Enterprises in Corona — as detailed in a report by the coroner at Riverside County Sheriff’s website — and the case is currently classified as an accident. Investigations are still ongoing.
According to TODAY, gun range manager Cindy Raahauge Shenberger stated that they “had no idea what happened”. She declined to answer more questions, but confided that this was “the first such incident in more than three decades at the outdoor range.”
Lionel had moved to America to pursue a degree in Aerospace Engineering after graduating from Tampines Junior College as revealed from his Facebook page, and he was described by his friend Gabriel Estrada as someone who “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,” he wrote.
A crowdfunding campaign was set up by Estrada to help raise the money needed for funeral arrangements, and as of writing, the campaign has amassed US$26,751, far surpassing the original intended US$10,000 goal.
Funeral arrangements are currently being made by his family, who arrived in the US yesterday for a memorial service at Long Beach, before they bring his body back to Singapore for a mass and service.
