Seven Chinese workers were shot dead Monday at a Northern California farm and trucking facility, the state’s second mass shooting in three days.
The suspect was named as Zhao Chunli, 67, of Half Moon Bay, who was later found in his car outside the Half Moon Bay sheriff’s office, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office said.
California Senator Josh Becker, who represents the area, said people were killed in two shootings on the edge of Half Moon Bay, a city about 30 miles south of San Francisco, around 5 p.m. local time. San Mateo County supervisor David Canepa tweeted that a shooting took place at a mushroom farm.
The victims are Chinese farm workers, Half Moon Bay Councilor Debbie Ruddock said. A motive for the shooting is under investigation.
The shooting came two days after 11 people – mostly elderly Chinese residents – were killed during a Chinese New Year festival in Southern California’s Monterey Park. Officials called this the deadliest mass shooting in Los Angeles County history.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has been to Monterey Park where that massacre took place, took to Twitter shortly after news of the new shooting broke.
“At the hospital gathering of victims of a mass shooting when I’m pulled away to be briefed on another shooting. This time in Half Moon Bay. Tragedy after tragedy.”
Officials in Half Moon Bay lamented the new violence on Monday afternoon.
“Two hours ago, I joined my colleagues on the steps of the Capitol for a vigil for the victims of the Monterey Park shooting,” California delegate Marc Berman said on Twitter.
“Before we’ve even had a chance to mourn them, there’s another mass shooting — this time in Half Moon Bay. In my neighborhood.”
