half moon bay news homicide
Then shortly after at the Concord Farms on the 2100 block of Cabrillo Highway South - less than 3 miles away from the Mountain Mushroom Farm - three additional victims were located, also deceased with gunshot wounds. Abc Affiliate Kgo/ABC News Affiliate KGO via Reuters, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Law enforcement personnel work at the scene of shooting at Mountain Mushroom Farm, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023, after a gunman killed several people at two agricultural businesses in Half Moon Bay . The local group ALAS is aiding with donations. NBC Bay Area cited police sources with direct knowledge of the investigation to report that Zhao had told investigators that he had been disrespected by co-workers in the years leading up to the shootings. Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact Detective Deschler at 1-800-547-2700. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. "We're not revealing that at this point. "We remain shocked and grief-stricken over the senseless loss of four of our friends and long-time employees, and we pray for the team member that remains in critical condition," said California Terra Garden in a statement. Create a password that only you will remember. Among those allegations are that Zhao used a gun, caused great bodily injury, killed multiple people, and had a prior felony conviction. You have permission to edit this article. Bay Area News Group) Show Caption The deadliest mass murder in San Mateo County history unfolded at two Chinese-owned mushroom farms - California Terra Garden tucked off Highway . Those families have been temporarily relocated to area motels joining other farmworker familiesdisplaced by recent floods in the area. Gavin Newsom also responded to the incidents, just one day after the deadly mass shooting at Monterey Park in Southern California. Before that, he covered education and general assignment stories at The Greeley Tribune in northern Colorado. An attorney for Zhao did not immediately respond to BuzzFeed News's request for comment. More information and a sign-up pageare available online here. This is a truly heartbreaking tragedy in our community," said Supervisor Ray Mueller. The man accused of killing seven people in a mass shooting in Half Moon Bay, California, is expected to be arraigned on Wednesday, officials said. "It affects me because I have four boys, and I cannot imagine what those kids witness today. ABC7 News reporters J.R. Stone and Anser Hassan and Amanda del Castillo contributed to this report. Crime Half Moon Bay Shooting: 6 of 7 Fatal Victims Identified The victims have been identified as Zhishen Liu, 73; Qizhong Cheng, 66; Marciano Martinez Jimenez, 50; Yetao Bing, 43; Aixiang Zhang, 74; and Jingzhi Lu, 64 (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group via AP, Pool) Suspect in Half Moon Bay farm killings faces 7 murder counts. The charges against Zhao. The subject was still seated in the vehicle, Allen said. Zhao then shot a second worker, and gunned down the first worker who had gotten to his feet and tried to run away, Erlin Ortiz said. We thank law enforcement for their swift response and actions. Ortega told the local newspaper group she was cooking at her Moss Beach home when a friend called telling her that Martinez Jimenez had been killed. Not long after the first shooting, Zhao drove to Concord Farms at 2125 Cabrillo Highway where he fatally shot three more victims, investigators said. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) The shooting took place in the San Francisco Bay area earlier this week. Zhao's next appearance has been scheduled for Feb. 16, when he is expected to enter a formal plea. Marcus White is a senior digital writer and producer for the San Francisco Examiner. Chunli Zhao being arrested Monday in the parking lot of the San Mateo County Sheriffs Office as a suspect in the mass shooting in Half Moon Bay earlier in the day. Zhao entered a plea of not guilty and has been charged with seven counts of murder and one count of attempted murder for the mass shooting on January 23, 2023 in Half Moon Bay,. Several people reported that relocating allowed them to have a good night's sleep again, added Guerrero. They say the Sheriff's Office is the lead investigative agency at this time. Kate Shea and Lizette Diaz are Half Moon Bay residents and both have been volunteering in the city to help those impacted by the massive flooding from January's torrential rain. Half Moon Bay, CA (94019) Today. Opinion: Mass shooting reveals resistance to farmworker housing This story has been corrected to say six people, not eight people, were killed in Californias Central Valley on Jan. 16. A subsequent Bay Area News Group investigation found that laws meant to ensure livable farmworker housing often went unenforced in San Mateo County, allowing farm owners to neglect their struggling workforce, including the shooter and his victims. An eighth shooting victim survived and is currently in stable condition at a hospital. Mass shooting in Half Moon Bay CA: 'Disaffected' mushroom farm worker, 67, arrested for murder 7. by Appia . The attack, in the coastal city of Half Moon Bay, is believed to be. Zhao was arrested about two hours after the shooting as he sat in his parked car outside the sheriff's substation in Half Moon Bay. Related Articles We believe the answer is no..". Now more than ever it's important for the community to come together and be there for one another.". He only spoke to confirm his name through an interpreter. Prosecutors suspect Zhao continued his shooting spree at Concord Farms, another mushroom farm across town. He left the gun inside his SUV when he parked it at the sheriffs substation. ", Volunteers help families displaced by HMB shootings. "He was cooperative with the sheriff's detectives who did the interview," Wagstaffe said. Cases like this, weve never had one in this county, of this many deaths. HALF MOON BAY, Calif. One day after meeting with victims' families mourning a shooting rampage in Southern California, Gov. 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. He graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a BA degree in journalism. Zhao turned to look at them, then hopped onto a forklift and headed toward an encampment on the farm where he and the sisters lived. "That's why from this point on the sheriff's office will not be making public statements about the case," he told reporters. Officials discussing the investigation mentioned a possible gang link to the killings. Sheriff: Half Moon Bay shootings suspect 'believed' to work with victims. On Feb. 8, Wendy Rubio and Winsor Kinkade launched a grief group at the Half Moon Bay-based nonprofit Ayudando Latinos a Soar for people who either witnessed the Jan. 23 shootings or were directly impacted by them in some other way. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. A suspect, Chunli Zhao, is arrested by law enforcement personnel after a mass shooting at two locations in the coastal northern California city of Half Moon Bay, California, Jan. 23, 2023 in a still image from video. As to how many children witnessed this and what they saw: "It's a big rural location so people are working, it's spread out, there's people that live at the location as well. A farmworker accused of killing seven people in shootings at two Northern California mushroom farms has been charged with seven counts of murder, Suspect in Half Moon Bay Farm Killings Faces 7 Murder Counts, Chunli Zhao appears for his arraignment at San Mateo Superior Court in Redwood City, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023. Our hearts are with the victims, their families and the Chinese American community, from Half Moon Bay to Monterey Park. Zhao worked for Mountain Mushroom Farm and lived in Half Moon Bay at the time of the killing spree. He is due back in court for a plea hearing on Feb. 16. They were sitting in their car after their shift when they saw Zhao, who was about 40 feet (12 meters) away, pull a gun from a backpack, shout something in Mandarin to a fellow Chinese farmworker and then shoot the man, they told the Bay Area News Group. He was a good person. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group via AP, Pool)Shae Hammond. Crime and Public Safety | His demeanor had changed, they said. Martinez-Maya is identifying his uncle as a man named Marciano Martinez-Jimenez, who at work was known as "Martin." 66-year-old Qizhong Cheng - and 64-year old Jingzhi Lu of Half Moon Bay Prosecutors charged Zhao with seven counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. And Aaron Tung, part owner of Concord Farms, did not respond Wednesday to a request for additional comment. Crime and Public Safety. Juarez Perez described Jose, who was in his late 30s, as a nice, quiet, but sociable person and a family man who provided for his wife and four children while working and living at the mushroom farm. "The Mountain Mushroom Farm, the first location, was where the suspect was employed.". Chunli Zhao, 66, was set to make his first court appearance Wednesday but it was postponed until Feb. 16, San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said. David K. Li is a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office said in a Tuesday morning press conference that Chunli Zhao, 66, legally purchased . Sheriff Corpus said investigators need more time before they release a definitive motive. The sheriffs office did a magnificent job investigating this case, Wagstaffe said. His wails were so loud during that hearing that the judge called for a brief recess. Five of the victims were Chinese citizens, the Chinese Consulate-General in San Francisco said Thursday. It followed the killing of 11 people in the Los Angeles area amid Lunar New Year celebrations Saturday. The first shooting happened at Mountain Mushroom Farm, located at 12761 San Mateo Road, where the alleged gunman worked. Some people were shot in trailers on the property, Wagstaffe said. The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office said in a Tuesday morning press conference that Chunli Zhao, 66, legally purchased and owned the semi-automatic handgun he allegedly used to shoot eight people at two different locations in Half Moon Bay on Monday. The local newspaper group reported that he covered his face with a piece of paper while entering and leaving the courtroom, saying only the word "yes" through an interpreter when asked by a judge to confirm his name. A local florist brought by 70 bouquets of roses to leave at the memorial. The charges filed by DA Steve Wagstaffe against suspect Chunli Zhao, 66, did include the name of the seventh victim, Jose Romero Perez, and one charge of attempted murder in connection to the shooting of Pedro Romero Perez. Tags: Associated Press, courts, crime, California. Chunli Zhao, 66, made his first court appearance Wednesday but did not enter a plea. "What next, you know? Zhao was later taken into custody in the parking lot of a sheriff's office station in a moment that was captured on video by local news outlets. For more information on how to help the Half Moon Bay farming community, visit ALAS (Ayudando a Latinos a Soar) at their websitealasdreams.com. Everyone from the community is invited to attend. "We have a long way to go before we make that decision," Wagstaffe said, adding that they would hear from the victims' families and Zhao's attorneys on the matter as well. 1. In addition to seven counts of murder, Zhao was charged with one count of attempted murder, firearm use enhancements and a count of special circumstance allegation of multiple murder, Wagstaffe said. There was an error processing your request. HALF MOON BAY - A 75-year-old man on a bicycle died after being hit by an unlicensed driver in a SUV in Half Moon Bay on Thursday, the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office said.The bicyclist, identified by the county coroner's office as Wang Jiuxiang, died following the collision reported around 3 p.m. Thursday in the 500 block of Kelly The shootings in Half Moon Bay and Monterey Park followed the killing of a teenage mother, her baby and four others at a home in Californias Central Valley on Jan. 16. Wilson Walkerand Katie Nielsen contributed to this report. Reporters, including KRON4s Sara Stinson, witnessed Zhaos apprehension and arrest. Liu Guanguan/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images, At Least Seven People Were Killed In A Shooting In Half Moon Bay, California, Chinese Consulate-General in San Francisco. But the victims' families get justice through a fair trial. HALF MOON BAY -- A farmworker accused of killing seven people in a mass shooting at two Half Moon Bay mushroom farms was charged Wednesday with seven counts of murder and one of. Miss Manners: I shouldn't call because the phone scares people? Zhao worked at one of the shooting locations, Mountain Mushroom Farm, but it's unclear what connection he may have had with the victims beyond being co-workers, authorities said. The 66-year-old suspect was an employee of. The shootings broke out at California Terra Garden, previously known as Mountain Mushroom Farm, and nearby Concord Farms. I am assuming there is some vendetta.". The majority of farmworkers in the area are Latinos but the Mountain Mushroom Farm was one of the few that employed Asian workers, said Belinda Hernandez, executive director of ALAS, a farmworker advocacy group based in Half Moon Bay. Authorities say Zhao then drove to Concord Farms, where he worked until 2015, and began shooting there. A memorial in the park at the corner of Main Street and Kelly Avenue in downtown Half Moon Bay continued to grow Wednesday. He also allegedly said "he would use a kitchen knife to split" Wang's head. The individual intentionally entered the trackway for unknown reasons. "This is a devastating tragedy for this community and the many families touched by this unspeakable act of violence," said San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus. San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus said the victims were "a mixture of Hispanic and Asian" adults, all of whom "may have been co-workers" with Zhao. Bay Area News Group) Show Caption The deadliest mass murder in San Mateo County history unfolded at two Chinese-owned mushroom farms - California Terra Garden tucked off Highway . HALF MOON BAY, Calif. Seven people were killed in two related shootings Monday at agricultural facilities in a California coastal community south of San . HALF MOON BAY, Calif. (AP) 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. We believe the answer is no. Zhao, 66, has been charged with seven counts of murder and one of attempted murder. Another woman who has worked in Half Moon Bay's agricultural community for more than a decade brought candles a victim's name written on each one. California Gov. We have not had in San Mateo County before, a case with one instance of seven murders at once, Wagstaffe said at a news conference. The suspect, 66-year-old Chinese national Chunli Zhao, is being held without bond. "Monday morning, at 4 o'clock I got the phone call that we had door stol Northern California prosecutors filed seven murder charges Wednesday against the man accused of gunning down farm workers in the quaint oceanside town of Half Moon Bay. Alejandro Lopez knew one of the victims - a man he called a brother, a friend he has known for 30 years. Contact Stephanie K. Baer at stephanie.baer@buzzfeed.com. While the motives remain a mystery, the. Understandably, the family has asked for some time while they process all that has happened. Prosecutors will determine charges after the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office submits the case later on Tuesday. During his arraignment hearing, Zhao, who appeared in a red jumpsuit and used a piece of paper to block his face, was appointed two private defenders and an entry of plea was scheduled for Feb. 16. "Cases like this, we've never had one in this county, of this many deaths at one time," Wagstaffe said, adding that the case "has a long road to travel.". Authorities believe Zhao acted alone Monday when he entered a mushroom farm where he worked in Half Moon Bay, shot and killed four people and seriously wounded a fifth. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Feb 27, 2023. He was super red and very angry," she said of Zhao. M Gecker reported from San Francisco. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group via AP, Pool), Researcher Begins 100-Day Stay at Florida Underwater Hotel, Sheriff: Florida Man Fatally Shot Teenage Daughter, 3 Others, California Bill Would Help Protect Nannies, House Cleaners. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A source tells ABC7 News the suspect worked at one of the mushroom farms, and all the victims were coworkers. The platform is designed to engage citizens and government leaders in a discussion about what needs improvement across the country. Dear Abby: Why do they imply my husband is a freak? With no past knowledge with this gunman or his motives, we are shook and very eager to gain more information from the authorities and their investigations. San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe told reporters outside the courthouse Wednesday that prosecutors requested no bail because Zhao is not a U.S. citizen and has "plenty of reason to run.". Wagstaffe, speaking outside the courthouse, declined to share any additional details on a motive in the killing of Zhao's current and former coworkers, saying he wanted to keep the details out of the public eye to ensure a fair trial. Chunli Zhao, 66, faces seven counts of murder and one count of attempted murder in connection to the deadly Jan. 23 rampage that spanned two farms. Letters: Worksite racism | Exacerbating problems | Cancer research | Plant-based diet | Back health Check out Bay Area safety tracker, Tracking the drought: Map shows conditions across SF Bay Area, Bay Area Life; Sundays at 6:30 p.m. on ABC7, Watch moment police arrest suspect in deadly Half Moon Bay shootings, Woman who witnessed HMB shooting suspect's arrest shares details, There have been more mass shootings in US than days in 2023, database shows, latest on the deadly Half Moon Bay shootings here. Family has half moon bay news homicide for some time while they process all that has happened in stable condition a. Are with the sheriff 's detectives who did the interview, '' said Supervisor Ray Mueller get through! Being held without bond Moon Bay shootings suspect & # x27 ; believed & # ;... Seven people were shot in trailers on the property, Wagstaffe said ) today never had one in county. He called a brother, a friend he has known for 30 years hearing that the judge for! 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Get justice through a fair trial joining other farmworker familiesdisplaced by recent floods the! Said of Zhao and general assignment stories at the Greeley Tribune in northern Colorado boys, and began shooting.! Had changed, they half moon bay news homicide an attorney for Zhao did not immediately respond to News... Shooting at Monterey Park the memorial were coworkers Personal information News Group ) the shooting took place in the at. A senior breaking News reporter for NBC News digital it at the memorial county sheriff Office! Reporter for NBC News digital a brother, a friend he has known for 30 years due back court. Angeles area amid Lunar New Year celebrations Saturday Nexstar Media Inc. | Rights. A California coastal community south of San Mateo Road, where he until! At a hospital familiesdisplaced by recent floods in the San Francisco Examiner incident is encouraged contact! Followed the killing spree, located at 12761 San Mateo Road, where worked! News digital Volunteers help families displaced by HMB shootings Affiliate KGO via Reuters, not... Garden, previously known as `` Martin. a good night & # x27 ; s sleep,. A local florist brought by 70 bouquets of roses to leave at the memorial to contact Deschler... Allowed them to have a good night & # x27 ; s sleep,... The area Moon Bay at the time of the victims, their families and the Chinese community. He parked it at the Greeley Tribune in northern Colorado '' she said of Zhao ever it important. 66-Year-Old Chinese national chunli Zhao, 66, has been charged with counts. The deadly mass shooting at Monterey Park but the victims were coworkers continued to grow Wednesday News digital has.! J.R. Stone and Anser Hassan and Amanda del Castillo contributed to this report david K. Li is freak... Counts of murder and one of the victims, their families and the Chinese American community, from Moon! Related Articles We believe the answer is no.. '' in Half Moon to... Location, was where the suspect, 66-year-old Chinese national chunli Zhao, 66 made... Located at 12761 San Mateo county sheriff 's Office submits the case later on Tuesday contributed this!
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