7 Dead In Half Moon Bay Shootings: CA Farm Owners 'Shook'

HALF MOON BAY, CA — The man accused of opening fire and killing seven people at two locations in Half Moon Bay was an employee of the mushroom farm where four people were gunned down Monday.

San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus confirmed Tuesday that Zhao was an employee at Mountain Mushroom Farm. She says that the only known connection between the shooter and his victims is that “they may have been coworkers.”

The owners of the farm where police say the man killed four people before killing three more at a nearby trucking facility said they are "shook" by the shooting and have no idea what may have motivated the suspect to target their employees.

In a statement provided to CNN, Concord Farms thanked the community for their support and law enforcement officials for their swift response.

"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," the business said in its statement. "Our hearts are with the victims, their families and the Chinese American community—from Half Moon Bay to Monterey Park."

• RELATED: At Least 7 Killed In Half Moon Bay Shootings; Suspect In Custody

Chunli Zhao, 67, of Half Moon Bay, is accused of killing seven people and critically injuring another after opening fire Monday at both Northern California businesses, plunging the state into mourning again in the wake of its third mass killing in eight days.

Deputies responded to the mushroom farm on Highway 92 shortly after 2:20 p.m., where they found four people dead and another critically injured. Three people were found dead at a nearby trucking facility on Highway 1.

The sheriff’s office said seven of the victims were men and one was a woman. Some were Asian and others were Hispanic, and some were migrant workers.

Police have not publicly identified the victims.

"This kind of shooting is horrific," Corpus said Monday evening during a news conference. "It's a tragedy that we hear about far too often, but today it's hit home here in San Mateo County."

Zhao was arrested Monday after police found him in his car in the parking lot of a sheriff's substation, Corpus said. Officials also believe Zhao worked at one of the facilities.

A video of the arrest showed three officers approaching a parked car with drawn weapons. Zhao got out of the car, and the officers pulled him to the ground, put him in handcuffs, and led him away, the video shows. A semiautomatic handgun was found in his vehicle, officials said. The video was captured by Kati McHugh, a Half Moon Bay resident who witnessed the arrest.

The sheriff's department said it believes Zhao acted alone.

Officials haven't determined a motive for the shooting but said Zhao is cooperating with attorneys and law enforcement.

Zhao is expected to appear in court Wednesday for his initial felony arraignment, the District Attorney's office told KRON. The DA's office said they expect to file charges against Zhao Wednesday morning.

"This is a devastating tragedy for this community and the many families touched by this unspeakable act of violence," Corpus said.

The shootings in Half Moon Bay came two days after an attack on a Lunar New Year celebration in Monterey Park killed 11 and cast a shadow over an important holiday for many Asian-American communities. Authorities are still seeking a motive for the Saturday shooting.

On Jan. 16, a teenage mother and her baby were among six people killed in a shooting at a home in California's Central Valley.

"For the second time in recent days, California communities are mourning the loss of loved ones in a senseless act of gun violence," President Joe Biden said Tuesday morning. "Even as we await further details on these shootings, we know the scourge of gun violence across America requires stronger action."

The new year has brought six mass killings in the United States in fewer than three weeks, accounting for 39 deaths. Three have occurred in California since Jan. 16, according to a database compiled by The Associated Press, USA Today and Northeastern University. The database tracks every mass killing — defined as four dead not including the offender — committed in the United States since 2006.

Reaction continued to pour in overnight and Tuesday.

In a statement, Half Moon Bay city officials said the shooting shocked the entire community.

"It's something that we would never expect to happen here. We mourn the loss of those whose lives were taken by this horrendous act and send our condolences to their loved ones."

Mayor Deborah Penrose said the city was appalled and saddened.

Our deepest sympathies are with the families and individuals who have been devastated by this horrendous act. We share in their pain and know that our community members are also keeping the victims and their families in their hearts," Penrose said. "Now more than ever it's important for the community to come together and be there for one another."

Speaking to CBS Evening News on Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom blasted the Second Amendment, calling it a "suicide pact."

"Nothing about this is surprising," the governor said. "Everything about this is infuriating."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.