In Half Moon Bay, an apparent episode of "workplace violence" results in 7 deaths, making it three mass
hootings in 44 hours in California
 |
| At least seven people were killed and one person critically injured in shootings in two separate locations in a small coastal community in central Cal |
According to San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus on Tuesday, the 66-year-old man who is accused of killing four people at a mushroom farm in California on Monday and three more at a location nearby was a worker at the farm.
The sheriff declared that this was a case of workplace violence based on all available facts. "Their potential shared employment is the sole known link between the victims and the suspect."
The deaths represent the second massacre involving Asian American victims and suspects in California in the span of three days. According to Corpus, the victims in San Mateo County were either Asian or Hispanic.
This month alone has seen 39 mass shootings in the US, more than any other month on record.
In California, three mass shootings that killed 19 individuals in under 44 hours:
• A shooter opened fire at a dancing class in Monterey Park, close to Los Angeles, killing eleven people;
• Seven fatalities occurred on Monday at Half Moon Bay, close to San Francisco;
• On Monday night in Oakland, one person was killed and seven others were injured.
There have been more mass shootings in 2023 so far than in any other year on record.
The Half Moon Bay killings resemble the massacre at Monterey Park in certain ways, despite the fact that the reasons for them are still unknown. Authorities said that during the Lunar New Year holiday celebrations, Huu Can Tran, 72, shot 20 persons there, killing 11.
Both incidents involve members of the Asian American community. In addition, each mass shooting suspect or shooter is of Asian heritage and is considerably older than the 33-year-old average age of mass shooting perpetrators, citing the Rockefeller Institute of Government.
Chunli Zhao, a suspect in San Mateo County, was apprehended approximately two hours after the initial contact to the police and was found with a semi-automatic weapon in his car parked at a sheriff's substation, according to the sheriff.
The culprit was Chinese, several of the victims worked in agriculture, and this was a farming town, according to Half Moon Bay Mayor Deborah Penrose, who made the statement on Tuesday.
At a mushroom farm, police in San Mateo County discovered four bodies and one injured person. A short while later, three more bodies were discovered in Half Moon Bay next to a shipping company about two miles distant, according to county officials. Five adult males and two adult women were listed as the victims by the authorities, who also said that a man was injured and was being treated for his wounds at a trauma hospital.
Zhao was a "coworker or former coworker" of the victims at each shooting scene, according to a news release from the sheriff's office.
Evening of the same day, yet another bloodbath broke out, this time in Oakland, a city in the Bay Area. According to authorities, there was one fatality and seven other injuries, all of which were in stable condition.
Suspect lived on first property
The attack, according to the sheriff, was "a workplace violence event" in which the suspect singled out certain persons.
Corpus said to Erica Hill and Jim Sciutto on CNN on Tuesday morning, "He had a chance, we do believe, to injure other people, but he had selected individuals that he went for and pursued."
The first shooting location was the gunman's home, a business official informed CNN. According to spokesman David Oates, the land, once known as Mountain Mushroom Farm, was purchased by a firm named California Terra Garden in March 2022. On the property, there were various trailers and mobile houses for staff.
Although he had been working on the property for longer, the alleged shooter had resided there since at least March, according to Oates.
Mushrooms and "other food-grade herbs" like basil and oregano are also grown on the farm, according to Oates.
The representative stated that all workers "had background checks, and there was nothing to indicate something like this was even a possibility."
California Terra Garden issued a statement in response to the assault saying it was "shocked and grief-stricken by the terrible loss of four of our friends and long-time colleagues, and we pray for the team member who remains in critical condition."
No prior warning signs, the sheriff claims
The suspect, who had not been identified by local law enforcement before the incident, was in possession of a registered semi-automatic firearm, the sheriff told CNN on Tuesday.
The shooting suspect "wasn't a red sign" before this week, according to Corpus. Prior to this occurrence, "there was nothing that would have kind of elevated or prompted us to have any worry with him at this point."
The incident, the sheriff continued, emphasizes the necessity for conversation about mental health concerns.
The sheriff added, "Unfortunately, this was one of those situations where someone snapped, and innocent people were slain.
It's not only the firearms, she continued, "it's also the people who have access to guns and those people who are experiencing mental illness or mental pressures. We really have to look at it from a multi-pronged perspective."
"I'm still terrified,"
An employee of the mushroom farm who is still trying to process the tragedy that took place told CNN that he witnessed the gunman leave the scene on a forklift after running for cover as the suspect started fire.
Because of the continuing law enforcement investigation, the employee who wanted not to be identified added, "I'm still worried trying to find out what occurred." "I don't get it,"
The worker calculated that there are about twenty workers at the farm. About half of them are Chinese immigrants, and the remainder are Latino immigrants. Due to language limitations, he added, the two groups frequently interact through hand signals or a translator.
Zhao and the employee were coworkers at the farm, the employee said CNN, and both were at work on Monday. He claimed to have known the suspect for around six years and to have thought of him as a "very pleasant" and "kind man," but he added that he had no idea what would have sparked the attack.
The witness claimed that when he heard gunfire, he attempted to cover with a number of other employees out of fear that the shooter may fire in their way. When the employee noticed how badly one victim was bleeding outside a greenhouse, he or she concluded it was "too late."
The witness told CNN that when the shooting stopped, he watched the perpetrator leave the area on a forklift.
tragedy after tragedy
The Monterey Park incident injured several people, and California Governor Gavin Newsom was visiting with them in a hospital when he was "taken away to be told about another shooting, this time in Half Moon Bay," he added.
Newsom tweeted, "Tragedy upon tragedy."
In order to speak with the relatives of those slain in the San Mateo County atrocity, the governor will go to Half Moon Bay on Tuesday.
The president called on Congress to "act swiftly" and outlaw assault rifles. He stated in a statement on Tuesday that "we realize the pandemic of gun violence throughout America needs bolder action."
Still in shock by the massacre in his hometown, the mayor of Monterey Park sent his condolences to those in mourning in Half Moon Bay.
Mayor Henry Lo remarked, "I know what is in store for them in the coming several days. I give my support throughout their "long road of recovery."
The gunman's identity and motivation were unknown to the proprietors of the San Mateo County mushroom farm, they claimed.
Concord Farms sent a statement to CNN stating, "We are shaken and extremely eager to gather more information from the authorities and their investigations." The Chinese American community, from Half Moon Bay to Monterey Park, as well as the victims' families, are in our thoughts.
Community with flood damage confronts fresh terror
San Mateo County Supervisor Ray Mueller stated that in order to solve gun violence, the Half Moon Bay community must come together to heal.
"Farmworkers were impacted tonight, and kids were present during the occurrences. This loss in our neighborhood is very painful, said Mueller.
As the city works to recover from the effects of recent devastating flooding that affected wide sections of the state, Mueller addressed the mental health toll the violence has unleashed in the neighborhood and urged residents to seek treatment.
He said that anyone might call the county's hotline and urged them to utilize the available mental health crisis therapy. You are not alone yourself.
Vice Mayor Joaquin Jimenez of Half Moon Bay also advised locals to seek mental health therapy.
We get to watch this on the news, I believe. Never anticipate when it may touch close to home, Jimenez said. "We are the news today. Our neighborhood has been impacted.
mass shootings wiki ,mass shootings ,mass shootings 2023,mass shooting zug,mass shootings 600,mass shootings 80s,mass shootings us,mass shootings 1980s,mass shootings 7/4/22,mass shootings america,mass shootings europe,mass shootings facts,mass shootings graph,mass shootings january,mass shootings kansas,mass shootings virginia,mass shootings worldwide,mass shootings monterey park,violence,violence definition,violence synonym,violence fiend,violence of action cast,violence and perfume,violence lyrics,california,california shooting,california 89,california 7 dead,california dead,california king bed