"We saw all the sirens going one way and then all the sirens going the other way. Some of these victims were members of our migrant community, Sheriff Corpus said. The two were roommates and worked at a restaurant, and the man, identified as Jingjiu Wang, filed a temporary restraining order against Zhao that was granted but is no longer in effect. This investigation is two days old, Wagstaffe said. His family is now trying to raise money to get Marciano's body back home to be buried with his parents. ABC7 was told the Holy Family Children's Center went on lockdown around 3:20 p.m. A family reunification center has been set up at the IDES Hall on 735 Main Street. A source tells ABC7 News the suspect worked at one of the mushroom farms, and all the victims were coworkers. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. The President will be updated as more details become available, Jean-Pierre added. 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. Miss Manners: I shouldn't call because the phone scares people? Seven people were fatally shot at two nurseries in Half Moon Bay on Monday. 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 There was an error processing your request. Chunli Zhao appears for his arraignment at San Mateo Superior Court in Redwood City, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023. By Associated Press California. 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 attempted murder. Wagstaffe said the Half Moon Bay mass shooting was the largest in San Mateo County's history. The Mexican Consulate in San Francisco on Wednesday confirmed two of the deceased victims are Mexican nationals, as well as the only surviving victim of the attack. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Half Moon Bay Mayor Deborah Penrose also released a statement, saying in part: "My colleagues and I on the Half Moon Bay City Council are appalled and saddened at this terrible incident, which has completely shocked our community. A girlfriend and neighbor of one of the victims told the Bay Area News Group that Zhao had also previously worked at Concord Farms, where the second shooting occurred. 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. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. The judge ordered that Zhao be held on no bail. The local group ALAS is aiding with donations. In a phone call from the San Mateo County Jail to an NBC Bay Area reporter, Zhao admitted to the killings and expressed remorse for the bloodshed. 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. Crime; Criminal Law; Police; Law; Security And Public Safety; . The best states in the U.S. come from coast to coast. 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. His attorneys requested a Mandarin interpreter for all communication going forward. HALF MOON BAY, Calif. (KRON) A gunman went on a rampage in the quiet coastal town of Half Moon Bay, killing seven farm workers in broad daylight Monday. IE 11 is not supported. All the evidence we have points to this being the instance of workplace violence. Its sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean make it a popular spot for hikers and tourists, who flock there to surf and for an annual giant pumpkin festival. The alleged gunman, 66-year-old Chunli Zhao, made his first court appearance on Wednesday. His two attorneys did not immediately respond to calls and emails seeking comment. At a news conference Tuesday, San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus said that the only known connection between the alleged shooter and his victims is that "they may have been coworkers. UPDATED 7:40 PM PT Jan. 25, 2023 PUBLISHED 9:14 AM PT Jan. 25, 2023 PUBLISHED 9:14 AM PST Jan. 25, 2023. "It will all go through my office, and we're going to do it very limitedly for the reason that we want to make sure that this man gets a fair trial. We won't share it with anyone else. During a news conference after Wednesday's hearing, Wagstaffe declined to answer a question about whether Zhao specifically targeted the victims, telling reporters that while he knows the answer, he didn't want to go into those details at this time. Letters: County oversight | Compensate farmworkers | Affordable housing | Gun rights | Silencing greatness | Fossil fuel alternatives 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. Erlin Ortiz said Zhao, who grew onions for himself and his wife in a little garden plot, would wave and greet them but always seemed serious. The suspect, 66-year-old Chinese national Chunli Zhao, is being held without bond. The victims were shot inside trailers at one farm and in an agricultural field. Officials have said some of the people killed were migrant workers. Zhao gunned down five people, killing four, investigators said. Authorities responded to the 12700 block of San Mateo Road at the Mountain Mushroom Farm, close to Rice Trucking-Soil Farm off of Hwy. She is also happy the suspect was arrested. If you're on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live, Black ice causes problematic commute for North Bay drivers, Clear skies pave way for snow fun day on Mt. M A fifth victim, also suffering from gunshot wounds, was transported to Stanford Medical Center with life threatening injuries. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The violence appeared to stem from a workplace grudge, according to authorities one triggered by a $100 equipment bill from his boss for damage to heavy construction equipment. Diablo, Stephen Curry surprises Bay Area kids with Warriors shopping spree. They're invisible without transportation and without resources. Prosecutors also. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images 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. All Rights Reserved. Success! Only great things about him," she said. 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 . But the victims' families get justice through a fair trial. In the days after two back-to-back mass shootings in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay, California, that killed a combined 18 Chinese, Asian American and Hispanic people and critically injured one other, several members of Michigan's Asian American community gathered in Madison Heights, Michigan to hold a local vigil for the victims and those in Seven people killed Monday in the Half Moon Bay area near San Francisco; One person killed and seven others wounded Monday evening in Oakland . Congresswoman Anna Eshoo released the following statement after the shootings in her congressional district in Half Moon Bay: "I continue to monitor the unfolding tragedy that has taken place in Half Moon Bay. Crime scene investigators combed through the trailers Tuesday morning looking for forensic evidence. The shooting took place in the San Francisco Bay area earlier this week. The charges allow for life without parole or death if convicted, but Wagstaffe said a decision on the death penalty has not been made. Renato Juarez Perez told the news group that Jose and Pedro Romero Perez, who were shot at California Terra Garden, were brothers who had recently moved to the area to be close to family. Understandably, the family has asked for some time while they process all that has happened. The Secret Service analyzed 173 mass casualty attacks. 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. Authorities give update on Half Moon Bay shooting that killed 7, injured 1. Zhao, 66, has been charged with seven counts of murder and one of attempted murder. San Mateo County police reports Monday, Feb. 27, 2023. So it was the afternoon, kids were out of school and for children to witness, this is unspeakable," said Sheriff Christina Corpus. A fifth person was transported to Stanford Medical Center with life-threatening injuries, who Corpus said Tuesday was in stable condition. Updated: Feb 28, 2023 / 09:40 PM EST. A memorial in the park at the corner of Main Street and Kelly Avenue in downtown Half Moon Bay continued to grow Wednesday. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Sheriff: Half Moon Bay shootings suspect 'believed' to work with victims. Stephanie Baer is a reporter with BuzzFeed News and is based in the San Francisco Bay Area. California; Half Moon Bay; CA-92; . He was a good person. California Gov. Wagstaffe said the case will move forward the right way, through the court of law, and not through the public eye. 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. "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. Santa Clara County court records show that Yingjiu Wang filed a temporary restraining order in 2013 against Zhao. Zhao also allegedly shot three people at a trucking business on the 2100 block of Cabrillo Highway South. He cares about everyone.". White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tweeted that President Biden has been briefed on the shootings, and that he has asked federal law enforcement to provide any necessary assistance to the local authorities. Jan 25, 2023, 01:12 PM EST. BREAKING: Sheriff identified the Half Moon Bay mass shooting suspect as Zhao Chunli, 67, of HMB. Only known connection between the victims and the suspect is they may have been co-workers, Sheriff Corpus said. Opinion: Mass shooting reveals resistance to farmworker housing "The farm workers on the coast have a rough life as it is, and this is just terrible.". The suspect in a deadly mass shooting at two Northern California farms was charged with seven counts of murder, the local district attorney said. Mostly sunny. He also allegedly said "he would use a kitchen knife to split" Wang's head. Chunli Zhao, 66, showed little emotion while denying the charges against him in the Jan. 23 attack, which ranks as the deadliest mass shooting in San Mateo County's history. "This is a horrific event, one that we would never imagine would occur in San Mateo County," said David Pine who is Board of Supervisors President. ___. A semi-automatic handgun was found in the suspect's car that had been legally purchased, authorities said. He left and came back minutes later with a gun, killing her fellow workers. He did not actively surrender to us. He started giving the subject commands. 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