Keiko's New Life

Scene 5: The End

In 1982, Keiko moved to Los Angeles in an effort to forget about Tran and to start a new life. He decided to regain ownership of A1 Shooting Gallery, which was taken from the Etsuko family prior to being placed into internment camps. In 1988, the United States Senate voted to compensate Japanese-American internees a total of $20,000 per person to what Americans now considered historic injustice of the internment camps (Molotsky, "Senate Votes to Compensate" 1988). Keiko used the money to purchase additional capital for his business. A1 Shooting Gallery continued to grow with newer equipment, additional shooting areas, and promotional campaigns. Keiko turned down applicants who wished to work for his business as he was committed to keeping it exclusively family-run. The business became the talk of the town and Keiko enjoyed the success of his family business.
 
The success of Keiko’s business was short-lived. In March 13, 1991, taxi driver Rodney King was brutally beaten by the Los Angeles Police Department following a high-speed car chase. The jury consisted of 10 whites; one Latino; and one Asian. The lead prosecutor was African American. The jury acquitted three of the officers involved in the beating of Rodney King, but could not come to an agreement on the charges against one officer. The jury’s decision sparked the Los Angeles riots of 1992 which resulted to 53 deaths, 2,383 injuries, more than 7,000 fires, 3,000 damaged businesses and nearly $1 billion in financial losses (Dr. Daly Lecture, December 3, 2015).
 
In April 1992, during the midst of the L.A. Riot, a man by the name of Mike Phelps came inside A1 Shooting Gallery. Keiko immediately recognized him. He had applied for a position the following month, but was turned down by Keiko who kindly stated that the business is currently keeping its operations exclusively to family members. Keiko reminded Mike that they were not hiring for the same reason he stated last month. Angered by the news and fueled by the riot occurring in L.A., the man grabbed a gun from the gallery and shot Keiko in the head. Keiko passed away on April 13, 1993 day amid a turbulent city bursting in flame, violence, and racial tension. 
 

This page references: