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Seven people were dead and a suspect was in custody Tuesday after two shooting sprees near the Northern California community of Half Moon Bay, just days after a rampage in Southern California killed 11.
The latest attacks took place Monday at plant nurseries 30 miles south of San Francisco. The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office said four victims were found dead at the first shooting scene and a fifth person was transported to the Stanford Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. Three victims were found shortly at the second scene a short time later.
The shooter apparently acted alone, and there was no further threat to this community. Sheriff Christina Corpus said late Monday.
“This is a devastating tragedy for this community and the families touched by this unspeakable act of violence.” she said.
HALF MOON BAY SHOOTINGS:7 dead in two related incidents in California; suspect arrested
Victims were Chinese, Latino farmworkers
The Sheriff’s Office first received reports of a shooting just before 2:30 p.m. Monday, authorities said. Half Moon Bay Vice Mayor Joaquin Jimenez said the victims included Chinese and Latino farmworkers.
Some workers at one facility lived on the premises and children may have witnessed the shooting, Corpus said. She said it wasn’t immediately clear how the two locations were connected.
Suspect in custody, ‘no threat’ to community
A suspect, Chunli Zhao, 67, a resident of Half Moon Bay, was taken into custody “without incident” from his car in the parking lot of the Half Moon Bay Police Substation more than two hours after deputies arrived at the first shooting scene, Sheriff Christina Corpus said. A semiautomatic handgun was located in his vehicle, according to Corpus.
Officials believe Zhao is a worker at one of the facilities and that the victims were workers as well. Some workers at one facility lived on the premises and children may have witnessed the shooting, Corpus said. The connection between the new facilities wasn’t clear.
Corpus said officials hadn’t determined a motive for the shooting, though county Board of Supervisors President Dave Pine described the suspect as a “disgruntled worker.”
HORROR AND HEROISM:In Monterey Park shooting, ballrooms became the scene of sudden horror, stunning heroism
Biden offers prayers, pushes for gun control legislation
President Joe Biden issued a statement saying he and wife Jill were praying for the victims.
“For the second time in recent days, California communities are mourning the loss of loved ones in a senseless act of gun violence,” the statement said.
Biden said he met with his Homeland Security team and directed his administration to ensure local authorities and the broader Half Moon Bay community have full support of “in the wake of this heinous attack.”
Biden also lobbied for his latest gun control bill, noting that Sen. Barbara Feinstein, D-Calif., was among lawmakers who reintroduced a bill that would include a federal assault weapons ban and legislation that would raise the minimum purchase age for assault weapons to 21.
“Even as we await further details on these shootings, we know the scourge of gun violence across America requires stronger action,” the statement said. “I once again urge both chambers of Congress to act quickly and deliver this Assault Weapons Ban to my desk, and take action to keep American communities, schools, workplaces, and homes safe.
VICTIMS REMEMBERED:Families remember those slain in Monterey Park mass shooting: ‘Our biggest cheerleader,’ the ‘life of any party’
Where is Half Moon Bay?
Half Moon Bay is a coastal community of about 12,000 people 30 miles south of San Francisco. The city becomes the site of the second mass shooting in California in two days, sitting almost 400 miles northwest of Monterey Park. Eleven people were killed in a shooting rampage at a dance studio there Saturday night; the shooter was later found dead in a van.
Contributing: Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY; The Associated Press
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