HALF MOON BAY, Calif. — At some point after assembly with victims’ households mourning a capturing rampage in Southern California, Gov. Gavin Newsom traveled to the Northern California group of Half Moon Bay, the place two shootings left seven folks lifeless.
The suspected shooter is in custody and can be arraigned Wednesday in reference to the assaults at plant nurseries 30 miles south of San Francisco. The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned 4 folks had been discovered lifeless on the Mountain Mushroom Farm, the place the suspect labored, and a fifth was taken to a hospital with life-threatening accidents. Three our bodies had been discovered at a second scene – a farm the place the suspect used to work – a short while later.
The county coroner’s workplace was working to establish the victims, a few of whom had been migrants, and notify their subsequent of kin. Sheriff Christina Corpus mentioned on Tuesday the victims had been 5 males and two girls. A survivor was in steady situation at a hospital, she added.
Newsom expressed his dismay that he needed to go from one group affected by a mass capturing to a different one back-to-back and advocated for stronger gun management legal guidelines.
“Solely in America can we see this sort of carnage, this sort of chaos, this sort of destruction of communities and lives,” Newsom mentioned.
Earlier, in a second of unfiltered emotion, Rep. Anna Eshoo, a Democrat, mentioned the farmworkers had been “killed with objective, with intent execution type, and this state and nation are reeling from it.”
After the briefing, Corpus didn’t communicate instantly about Eshoo’s feedback, citing the continued investigation on Chunli Zhao, 66. However the sheriff did point out the necessity for elevated consciousness of psychological well being and wellness.
“It seems this individual snapped and took measures into his personal arms, and sadly harmless lives had been misplaced,” Corpus mentioned. “Folks misplaced their members of the family. It’s time for this to cease.”
The FBI mentioned on Twitter that it was serving to native regulation enforcement with the investigation.
All proof factors to the assault as an “occasion of office violence,”Corpus mentioned Tuesday. “Our hearts are damaged, and we’re working along with the group to heal this tragic incident.”
Vice President Kamala Harris can also be set to go to her residence state Wednesday within the wake of the 2 shootings, the White Home introduced Tuesday because the Biden administration advances its plans for laws to ban assault weapons. Harris will journey to Monterey Park, the place 11 folks had been killed at a dance studio on Saturday.
HALF MOON BAY SHOOTINGS:7 lifeless in two associated incidents in California; suspect arrested
Newsom criticizes Republicans for inaction on gun management
Newsom made a robust push for extra gun management on a federal degree and mentioned California would proceed to be a pacesetter in reform measures. He criticized Republicans, together with Home Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who represents California, for his or her opposition to gun management measures.
“We haven’t heard one rattling phrase from him. Not since Monterey Park, not what occurred right here, not one phrase,” Newsom mentioned.
Newsom mentioned Republican lawmakers have blocked gun security reform and judges have reversed efforts that states together with California have handed.
“Disgrace on them,” he added.
Grief counseling accessible for residents, San Mateo County official says
County officers labored to offer counseling for grieving residents, Ray Mueller of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors advised USA TODAY. He mentioned the various, agricultural group was already reeling from three weeks of storms and flooding.
TIMELINE:How the shootings in Half Moon Bay, California, unfolded
Mueller described the scene on the reunification heart Monday as one among “shock and disappointment,” however he praised residents for coming collectively to help the victims’ households.
“Late into the evening, we had folks coming, bringing blankets, provides, and meals,” he mentioned. “The group is rallying round. The subsequent factor we’ll be doing is elevating cash for the misplaced wages for these households.”
‘Would not occur right here’: Neighborhood in shock
A day after the killings on the mushroom farm, native resident Juan Martinez mentioned he’s nonetheless uneasy.
Martinez, a gross sales and upkeep supervisor at Spanish City, an arts and crafts retailer in entrance of the farm the place the deadly shootings occurred, mentioned each shootings had been near his job and minutes away from the place he lives.
“After I heard it was a capturing my thoughts began going locations and I instantly thought of Monterey Park,” Martinez, 47, mentioned.
He was relieved when he realized that the alleged gunman was arrested.
“Stuff like this doesn’t occur right here. Ever,” Martinez mentioned. “We see automobile accidents and that’s often essentially the most harmful, till yesterday.”
Teresa Helms of close by Paradise, California, stopped by the crafts retailer alongside together with her husband later. She too was relieved a suspect was taken into custody.
“If he hadn’t been caught, we wouldn’t be right here,” mentioned Helms, 53, who grew up in Half Moon Bay. “It’s such as you’re not protected anyplace anymore. You simply should watch out of your environment, irrespective of the place you might be.”
Suspect to be arraigned Wednesday
Zhao was booked on suspicion of seven counts of homicide and one rely of tried homicide, jail data confirmed.
The suspect can be arraigned Wednesday, San Mateo County District Lawyer Steve Wagstaffe mentioned.
Victims had been Chinese language, Latino farmworkers
The Sheriff’s Workplace first obtained experiences of a capturing simply earlier than 2:30 p.m. Monday, authorities mentioned.
Half Moon Bay Vice Mayor Joaquin Jimenez mentioned the victims included Chinese language and Latino farmworkers.
Some staff at one facility lived on the premises, and youngsters might have witnessed the capturing, Corpus mentioned. She mentioned it wasn’t instantly clear how the 2 places had been linked.
Corpus mentioned Tuesday that the victims had been 5 males and two girls. She mentioned the coroner’s workplace remains to be working to establish the victims and notify their subsequent of kin, a job that presents “distinctive challenges” as a result of a number of the victims are members of the migrant group.
The individual within the hospital was in steady situation, Corpus mentioned. The one recognized connection between the victims and the suspect is that they might have been co-workers, she mentioned.
Suspect in custody, ‘no menace’ to group
Zhao, 66, a resident of Half Moon Bay, was arrested with out incident at his automobile within the car parking zone of the Half Moon Bay Police Substation greater than two hours after deputies arrived on the first capturing scene, Corpus mentioned. A semi-automatic handgun was in his car, in keeping with Corpus. She mentioned Tuesday the gun was legally bought and owned.
Officers imagine Zhao is a employee at one of many services, and the victims had been staff as effectively. Some staff at one facility lived on the premises and youngsters might have witnessed the capturing, Corpus mentioned. The connection between the brand new services wasn’t clear.
Corpus mentioned officers hadn’t decided a motive for the capturing, although county board of supervisors President Dave Pine described the suspect as a “disgruntled employee.”
HORROR AND HEROISM:In Monterey Park capturing, ballrooms grew to become the scene of sudden horror, gorgeous heroism
Biden presents prayers, pushes for gun management laws
President Joe Biden issued an announcement saying he and his spouse, Jill, had been praying for the victims.
“For the second time in latest days, California communities are mourning the lack of family members in a mindless act of gun violence,” the assertion mentioned.
Biden mentioned he met along with his Homeland Safety workforce and directed his administration to make sure native authorities and the broader Half Moon Bay group have full help of “within the wake of this heinous assault.”
Biden additionally lobbied for his newest gun management invoice, noting that Sen. Barbara Feinstein, D-Calif., was amongst lawmakers who reintroduced a invoice that would come with a federal assault weapons ban and laws that might elevate the minimal buy age for assault weapons to 21.
“Whilst we await additional particulars on these shootings, we all know the scourge of gun violence throughout America requires stronger motion,” the assertion mentioned. “I as soon as once more urge each chambers of Congress to behave shortly and ship this Assault Weapons Ban to my desk, and take motion to maintain American communities, colleges, workplaces, and houses protected.”
VICTIMS REMEMBERED:Households keep in mind these slain in Monterey Park mass capturing: ‘Our largest cheerleader,’ the ‘lifetime of any celebration’
The place is Half Moon Bay?
Half Moon Bay is a coastal group of about 12,000 folks 30 miles south of San Francisco. The town turns into the location of the second mass capturing in California in two days, sitting virtually 400 miles northwest of Monterey Park. Eleven folks had been killed in a capturing rampage at a dance studio there Saturday evening; the suspected shooter was later discovered lifeless in a van.
Contributing: Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY; The Related Press
