At the very least seven individuals had been killed in two associated shootings within the beach-side neighborhood of Half Moon Bay, an act of violence that comes simply two days after 11 individuals had been killed in one other mass capturing in Monterey Park.
The suspected shooter, a 67-year-old resident of the neighborhood, opened hearth in two rural places a couple of mile distant, capturing among the victims in entrance of kids who lived close by and had not too long ago been launched from college.
“This type of capturing is horrific; it’s a tragedy we hear about too typically,” San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus mentioned. “For youngsters to witness that is unspeakable.”
The suspect, believed to be a employee at one of many close by farms or nurseries, was arrested about two hours after the shootings sitting in a parked automobile at a sheriff’s substation.
The victims are additionally believed to be staff at close by farms, officers mentioned.
“This can be a devastating tragedy for this neighborhood and the households touched by this unspeakable act of violence,” Corpus mentioned.
Deputies with the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Workplace first discovered 4 victims shot to loss of life within the 12700 block of San Mateo Highway in an unincorporated space of the county simply earlier than 2:30 p.m.
A fifth sufferer was additionally discovered within the space and brought to Stanford Medical Heart with life-threatening accidents, the Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned in a press release to The Occasions.
Minutes later, in an space a couple of mile away within the 2100 block of Cabrillo Freeway, deputies discovered three extra victims lifeless of obvious gunshot wounds.
Regulation enforcement officers examine the scene of a mass capturing off Cabrillo Freeway in Half Moon Bay, Calif., on Monday.
(Karl Mondon / Bay Space Information Group )
Corpus mentioned the suspect was believed to have pushed from one location to the subsequent, capturing the unidentified victims at every web site.
The motive for the shootings continues to be unknown, sheriff’s officers mentioned in a press release.
The suspected shooter, recognized as Chunli Zhao, was noticed sitting in his automobile on the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Workplace substation in Half Moon Bay at about 4:40 p.m., officers mentioned.
Video from ABC 7 confirmed deputies taking a person to the bottom within the car parking zone. The person was sporting a white cap, vest and pink long-sleeve shirt.
The weapon believed to have been used within the incident, a semiautomatic handgun, was discovered inside his automobile.
“I’m very sorry for the households of the victims,” Half Moon Bay Mayor Deborah Penrose informed The Occasions.
Penrose mentioned she had been informed that at the least among the victims had been staff at close by farms.
Metropolis officers had been reaching out to nonprofit organizations to supply assist for the affected households, she mentioned.
“Gun violence on this nation has hit unacceptable ranges,” mentioned San Mateo County Board of Supervisors President David Pine, acknowledging the tragedy that occurred in Monterey Park on Saturday. “Our hearts are damaged.”
The capturing that killed 11 at Monterey Park despatched shock waves by the neighborhood. It was one of many worst mass capturing incidents in Los Angeles County.
Now the Half Moon Bay shootings rank among the many deadliest within the San Francisco Bay Space, topped in current reminiscence solely by the 2021 incident when a employee for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority shot and killed 9 coworkers at a lightweight rail yard.
“That is one thing we get to observe on the information, by no means assume it’s going to return residence,” mentioned Joaquin Jimenez, vice mayor of Half Moon Bay.
On Twitter, Gov. Gavin Newsom famous he was within the hospital assembly the victims of the Monterey Park capturing when he was notified concerning the shootings in Half Moon Bay.
“Tragedy upon tragedy,” Newsom tweeted.
President Biden additionally has been briefed on the state of affairs, and has requested federal legislation enforcement officers to supply any wanted help to native legislation enforcement, in keeping with a assertion from White Home Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
“The scourge of gun violence has sadly hit residence,” San Mateo County Supervisor Dave Pine mentioned in a press release. “We’ve got not even had time to grieve for these misplaced within the horrible capturing in Monterey Park. Gun violence should cease. The State of California has among the many strictest gun legal guidelines in america, which we’ve got strengthened by native motion right here, however extra have to be finished. The established order can’t be tolerated.”
Assemblyman Marc Berman famous the size of violence to hit California: “Two hours in the past I joined my colleagues on the Capitol steps for a vigil for the victims of the capturing in Monterey Park,” he mentioned on Twitter. “Earlier than we’ve even had an opportunity to mourn them, there may be one more mass capturing — this time in Half Moon Bay. In my district.”
The investigation into the Monterey Park mass capturing is concentrated on the gunman’s earlier interactions at two dance studios he focused and whether or not jealousy over a relationship was the motive, in keeping with legislation enforcement sources.
The sources burdened that the investigation was in its early levels. However detectives consider that 72-year-old Huu Can Tran frequented the golf equipment — the Star Ballroom Dance Studio in Monterey Park and the Lai Lai Ballroom and Studio in Alhambra — and that the capturing may need been sparked by a private dispute.
Inside Tran’s residence in Hemet, investigators discovered a .308-caliber rifle, a whole lot of rounds of ammunition, digital units, together with cellphones and computer systems, and objects that led officers to suspect he was manufacturing firearm suppressors, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna mentioned at a information convention Monday.
