Seven people were shot and killed in two connected incidents in the Northern California town of Half Moon Bay, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Local law enforcement says suspected shooter Zhao Chunli, 67, believed to be a worker at nearby nurseries or farms, opened fire on the victims in two attacks about a mile apart in the rural area, gunning down some victims in front of children who had just gotten out of school.
“This kind of shooting is horrific; it’s a tragedy we hear about too often,” San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus said. “For children to witness this is unspeakable.”
Roughly two hours after the shooting took place, the police arrested Chunli when he was found sitting in a parked car at a sheriff’s substation. The firearm police believe was used in the murders was also allegedly found in the vehicle.
San Mateo sheriff’s deputies initially found four victims shot and killed in the 12700 block of Cabrillo Highway in an unincorporated area of the county. Another victim was found in the area and rushed to Stanford Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. Deputies then discovered the bodies of three more shooting victims about a mile from the first crime scene, bringing the death toll to seven.
Police said in a statement that the motive remains unknown. The County of San Mateo Executive’s Office also released a statement. “We are sickened by today’s tragedy in Half Moon Bay. The scourge of gun violence has sadly hit home,” Supervisor David Pine said. “The State of California has among the strictest gun laws in the United States, which we have strengthened through local action here, but more must be done. The status quo cannot be tolerated.”
On Saturday, 10 people were killed in a mass shooting in Monterey Park during a Lunar New Year celebration.
Pine remarked that San Mateo has “not even had time to grieve for those lost in the terrible shooting in Monterey Park.”
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