Sisolak voices support for AAPI community after waiter shot 11 times

Gov. Steve Sisolak voiced strong support for the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community during a brief news conference Tuesday, just more than a week after a shooting left one Chinatown restaurant waiter badly wounded.

“The first lady and I are here today because we have always stood with the AAPI community,” Sisolak said. “And we have always stood with our working community. We will continue to use our voices and our platforms to raise awareness and to help find solutions.”

Sisolak delivered his remarks from the second floor of a shopping plaza near Spring Mountain Road and Arville Street where Chengyan Wang was shot 11 times in what Las Vegas police have characterized as a burglary gone wrong.

Wang was working at ShangHai Taste, 4266 Spring Mountain Road, when gunfire erupted just before 3 a.m. on Dec. 20. Police have said there is no evidence to suggest the shooting was a hate crime.

“When the first lady and I heard of this senseless tragedy, we were shocked and saddened,” Sisolak said.

The governor said he has not yet had the opportunity to meet Wang, but has learned about him.

Wang came to Las Vegas about six months ago to support his family in China, Wang’s friends have said. Sisolak said Wang was supporting an ailing mother.

“He represents the best of what Nevada is,” Sisolak said.

The governor said the support for Wang from the AAPI community has been heartwarming. ShangHai Taste was busy with customers Tuesday afternoon.

“Nevadans, we have each other’s back,” he said. “When there’s a tragedy, we stand up for each other. And I’m proud of the fact that this community in this state is standing up for Mr. Wang and his family. And he is the American dream, the Nevada dream.”

Restaurant co-owner Joe Muscaglione said at the news conference that Wang is in intensive care, but is doing better and starting to try to eat solid foods. His first request was congee with melon, a type of porridge.

“So, we’re all pulling for him,” Muscaglione said. “He has a long road ahead of him.”

On Monday, Las Vegas police arrested 23-year-old Rashawn Gaston-Anderson in connection with the shooting. He was ordered held without bail early Tuesday by a Las Vegas judge.

The Asian Community Development Council is working with Asian-American and Pacific Islander businesses and community partners to raise money for Wang. The governor and first lady have donated to help with recovery costs.

Efforts to help with Wang’s recovery have received tens of thousands of dollars of support.

Contact Blake Apgar at bapgar@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5298. Follow @blakeapgar on Twitter.