In an unfortunate event of “workplace violence”, Chunli Zhao, a 66-year-old farm worker from Half Moon Bay, is accused of killing seven of his coworkers. On Wednesday, he was then charged with one count of attempted murder and seven counts of murder.
Zhao, a farmworker accused of killing seven people in back-to-back shootings at two Northern California mushroom farms was charged Wednesday with seven counts of murder and one of attempted murder. (Photo: Fox News)
Zhao approached the mushroom farm where he worked on Monday. Authority believes he acted alone. He then shot and murdered four individuals and critically injured a fifth. According to Eamonn Allen, a sheriff’s spokesperson, the man next went to a nearby farm where he had previously worked and killed three more individuals.
Zhao was found at 4:40 p.m., according to the authorities, some two hours after deputies arrived at the two different shooting scenes. On Monday, a deputy from the San Mateo Sheriff’s Office arrested him without incident when he was in his car in the parking lot.
According to San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe, Zhao’s supposed to appear in court for the first time last Wednesday but the trial has been moved to February 16. Zhao’s attorneys did not immediately return inquiries for comment for the delay.
Zhao is not a citizen of the United States, and Wagstaffe stated that Zhao has “plenty of motivation to run,” thus the prosecution did not ask for bail.
In order to facilitate a fair trial, Wagstaffe said he preferred to keep the specifics of the Half Moon Bay shooting incident out of the public spotlight. According to sheriff’s officials, it was workplace violence.
Zhao was charged with seven charges of murder as well as one count of attempted murder, enhancements for the use of firearms, and a case of a special circumstance allegation of serial murder, according to Wagstaffe.
Zhao is from China and has been a resident of the US for at least a decade. Investigators are examining if the legal documentation he once had to reside in the country is still legitimate. Additionally, his interactions with law enforcement are being investigated.
The shooting incident at Half Moon Bay was California’s third mass shooting within the period of just eight days. Police say that on Saturday, suspect Huu Can Tran allegedly opened fire at Monterey Park’s Lai Lai Ballroom, killing 11 people and injuring nine more. Prior to the Chinese New Year. On January 16, a mother, her infant, and four others were killed in a house in the Central Valley of California.
After the Half Moon Bay shooting incident mass shootings, California Governor Gavin Newsom remarked, “Only in America do we see this kind of devastation, this kind of turmoil, this kind of disruption of communities, lives, and confidence, sense of safety, and sense of belonging.”
