HALF MOON BAY, Calif. (AP) — A gunman killed seven folks at two agricultural companies in Northern California, plunging the state into mourning once more within the wake of its third mass killing in eight days.
Officers arrested a suspect in Monday’s shootings, 67-year-old Chunli Zhao, after they discovered him in his automobile within the car parking zone of a sheriff’s substation, San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus mentioned.
Seven folks had been discovered lifeless and an eighth injured at a farm and one other location a number of miles away, the Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned. Officers consider Zhao labored at one of many services and that the victims had been staff as effectively, Corpus mentioned. Officers haven’t decided a motive for the capturing.
California continues to be reeling from an assault on a Lunar New 12 months celebration in Monterey Park that killed 11 and forged a shadow over an necessary vacation for a lot of Asian-American communities. Authorities are nonetheless searching for a motive for the Saturday capturing.
“For the second time in latest days, California communities are mourning the lack of family members in a mindless act of gun violence,” President Joe Biden mentioned Tuesday morning. “At the same time as we await additional particulars on these shootings, we all know the scourge of gun violence throughout America requires stronger motion.”
The brand new 12 months has introduced six mass killings within the U.S. in fewer than three weeks, accounting for 39 deaths. Three have occurred in California since Jan. 16, in response to a database compiled by The Related Press, USA Right now and Northeastern College. The database tracks each mass killing — outlined as 4 lifeless not together with the offender — dedicated within the U.S. since 2006.
The killings occurred on the outskirts of Half Moon Bay, a metropolis about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of San Francisco.
Half Moon Bay Vice Mayor Joaquin Jimenez mentioned the victims included Chinese language and Latino farmworkers. Some staff lived at one of many services and youngsters might have witnessed the capturing, she mentioned. Corpus mentioned it wasn’t instantly clear how the 2 places had been linked.
The Sheriff’s Workplace first obtained studies of a capturing within the afternoon and located 4 folks lifeless and a fifth wounded on the first scene. Officers then discovered three extra folks fatally shot close by, Capt. Eamonn Allen mentioned in a information launch.
About two hours later, a sheriff’s deputy noticed Zhao’s automobile parked exterior a sheriff’s substation in a strip mall and arrested him.
A video of the arrest confirmed three officers approaching a parked automobile with drawn weapons. Zhao bought out of the automobile, and the officers pulled him to the bottom, put him in handcuffs, and led him away. A weapon was present in his automobile, officers mentioned. The video was captured by Kati McHugh, a Half Moon Bay resident who witnessed the arrest.
The sheriff’s division believes Zhao acted alone.
“We’re nonetheless making an attempt to know precisely what occurred and why, however it’s simply extremely, extremely tragic,” mentioned state Sen. Josh Becker, who represents the realm and known as it “a really close-knit” agricultural group.
Aerial tv photographs confirmed cops gathering proof from a farm with dozens of greenhouses.
Half Moon Bay is a small coastal metropolis with agricultural roots, dwelling to about 12,000 folks. The town and surrounding San Mateo County space is understood for producing flowers in addition to greens like brussels sprouts.
It’s a majority white group and about 5% of the inhabitants is Asian, in response to Census knowledge.
“We're sickened by right now’s tragedy in Half Moon Bay,” Pine mentioned. “We've got not even had time to grieve for these misplaced within the horrible capturing in Monterey Park. Gun violence should cease.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom tweeted that he was “on the hospital assembly with victims of a mass capturing after I get pulled away to be briefed about one other capturing. This time in Half Moon Bay. Tragedy upon tragedy.”
On Jan. 16, a teenage mom and her child had been amongst six folks killed in a capturing at a house in California’s Central Valley.