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A Gunman Killed 7 People In Shootings In Half Moon Bay. Authorities Have Man In Custody
FBI agents arrive at the scene of a shooting on Jan. 23, 2023 in Half Moon Bay, California. Seven people were killed at two separate farm locations that were only a few miles apart.
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Justin Sullivan
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Getty Images
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A man killed seven people at a mushroom farm and a trucking business in Half Moon Bay in San Mateo County, south of San Francisco, on Monday, law enforcement said.
The shooter was believed to be a worker at the farm, San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus said.
An eighth person was at Stanford Medical Center in critical condition, she said.
The suspect was identified as Chunli Zhao, a 67-year-old Half Moon Bay resident, the sheriff's office said. He is in custody and cooperating.
The two locations are about a mile away from each other, the sheriff said. Law enforcement does not have a motive for the shooting.
Sheriff's deputies arrived at the farm around 2:22 p.m. local time and found four victims dead of gunshot wounds, with a fifth victim also wounded. Three more victims were found at the trucking business soon thereafter.
Zhao was found in his vehicle in the parking lot of the Sheriff's Office Half Moon Bay Police Substation at 4:40 p.m. A semiautomatic handgun was found in his vehicle, authorities said. Zhao acted alone and there is no outstanding threat to the public, the sheriff's office said.
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"This is a horrific event, one that we would never imagine would occur in San Mateo County," said San Mateo County Board of Supervisors President David Pine. "Gun violence in this country is at completely unacceptable levels and it's really hit home tonight."
The shooting comes less than 48 hours after a gunman killed 11 and wounded nine at a Chinese-owned ballroom dance studio in Monterey Park, a majority Asian American suburb of Los Angeles.
About The Monterey Park Shooting
Update
A mass shooting at a dance studio in Monterey Park late in the evening on Saturday, Jan. 21, left 10 people dead at the scene and 10 others wounded. An 11th victim died Monday.
What we know so far:
- About those killed: The youngest person killed was 57 and four others were in their 70s.
- Still searching for a reason. “We still don't have a motive, but we want to know the motive behind this tragic event, and the FBI continues to collaborate with us in that portion of the investigation,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said Monday.
- Motive remains unknown: The gunman has been identified as a 72-year-old man who authorities said died by suicide as police approached his cargo van in Torrance late Sunday morning
As we report on that shooting, we are also resurfacing resources and previous reporting that can help people understand the context and get help, if needed.
Read our live coverage: Death Toll Rises To 11 In Monterey Park Mass Shooting. What We Know As The Investigation Continues
Mental health resources
Ask For Help
- Steinberg Institute website, links to mental health resources and care throughout California
- Institute on Aging's 24/7 Friendship Line (especially for people who have disabilities or are over 60), 1-800-971-0016 or call 415-750-4138 to volunteer.
- Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, 24/7 Access Line 1-800-854-7771.
- The Crisis Text Line, Text "HOME" (741-741) to reach a trained crisis counselor.
- California Psychological Association Find a Psychologist Locator
- Psychology Today guide to therapist
If You Need Immediate Help
- If you or someone you know is in crisis and need immediate help, call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or go here for online chat.
More Guidance
- Find 5 Action Steps for helping someone who may be suicidal, from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
- Six questions to ask to help assess the severity of someone's suicide risk, from the Columbia Lighthouse Project.
- To prevent a future crisis, here's how to help someone make a safety plan.
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