Mass shooting claims 7 lives in Half Moon Bay

DMV photo of the suspect

San Mateo County Sheriff's Office

DMV photo of the suspect

Seven people were killed in a mass shooting in Half Moon Bay earlier this evening. Four bodies were found at 2:22 PM inside a nursery along Cabrillo Highway, according to an article published by NBC Bay Area. Shortly after, three more bodies were discovered nearby inside another nursery. 

The shooter was identified as 67-year-old Zhao Chunli, who was arrested around two hours after the shootings in the sheriff’s office substation parking lot. Chunli was sitting in his car with a semi-automatic rifle, according to CBS News. It’s unknown if the firearm was a legally owned weapon or not. It is, however, believed that Chunli acted alone in the attacks. 

In a statement given by San Mateo city council member Debbie Ruddock stated that the victims were all Chinese farm workers. 

President Joe Biden was also briefed on the attack and asked federal law enforcement to assist the local authorities in handling the case, according to a tweet from the Press Secretary.

 

 

As of now, there is one victim who lived through the attacks after suffering life-threatening injuries and was transported to the Stanford Medical Center.

Rep Anna Eshoo also stated in an interview with CBS “This is an enormous tragedy. When any of us think of Half Moon Bay, it’s always a happy, pleasant thought. . . But today it’s murder. Seven precious lives lost.”