HALF MOON BAY, Calif. — Seven folks had been killed in two associated shootings Monday at agricultural amenities in a California coastal neighborhood south of San Francisco, and a suspect was in custody, officers mentioned.
4 folks had been discovered useless and a fifth injured from gunshot wounds at one location, and three others had been discovered useless at one other a number of miles away, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s workplace mentioned.
Particulars in regards to the places weren’t instantly clear. Sheriff Christina Corpus mentioned they had been nurseries.
The shootings occurred on the outskirts of Half Moon Bay, a metropolis about 30 miles south of San Francisco.
Officers arrested 67-year-old Chunli Zhao in reference to the capturing, the sheriff’s workplace mentioned.
Officers consider Zhao is a employee at one of many amenities and that the victims had been employees as effectively. Some employees at one facility lived on the premises and kids might have witnessed the capturing, Corpus mentioned. The connection between the brand new amenities wasn’t clear.
Corpus mentioned officers hadn’t decided a motive for the capturing, although county Board of Supervisors President Dave Pine described the suspect as a “disgruntled employee.”
The capturing was the nation’s sixth mass capturing this 12 months — and adopted late Saturday at a ballroom dance corridor in Southern California.
The sheriff’s Workplace first obtained experiences of a capturing simply earlier than 2:30 p.m. and located 4 folks useless from gunshot wounds and a fifth injured particular person on the first scene. Shortly thereafter, officers discovered three extra folks useless from gunshot wounds at a second location close by, Capt. Eamonn Allen mentioned in a information launch.
About two hours after first responding, a sheriff’s deputy discovered the suspect, Zhao, in his automotive at a sheriff’s station in Half Moon Bay. He was taken into custody and a weapon was present in his car. The sheriff’s division believes he acted alone, Allen mentioned.
“We’re nonetheless attempting to grasp precisely what occurred and why, however it’s simply extremely, extremely tragic,” mentioned state Sen. Josh Becker, who represents the realm and referred to as it “a really close-knit” agricultural neighborhood.
Aerial tv pictures confirmed cops accumulating proof from a farm with dozens of greenhouses.
Half Moon Bay is a small coastal metropolis with agricultural roots now residence to about 12,000 folks. Town and surrounding San Mateo County space is thought for producing flowers in addition to greens like brussel sprouts. The county permits hashish farming in sure areas.
It’s a majority white neighborhood and about 5% of the inhabitants is Asian, in keeping with Census information.
“We're sickened by at present’s tragedy in Half Moon Bay,” Pine mentioned. “Now we have 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 once I get pulled away to be briefed about one other capturing. This time in Half Moon Bay. Tragedy upon tragedy.”