Half Moon Bay, California, shootings: Northern California authorities are investigating a motive after a suspect allegedly killed 7 and critically injured 1 read full article at worldnews365.me

CNN
 — 

Authorities in Northern California are working to find out the motive of a suspect they stated killed seven people and injured one in two separate areas of a small coastal metropolis, changing into one in all not less than three communities within the state to mourn lives misplaced to mass shootings in three days.

The suspect, Chunli Zhao, 67, was taken into custody Monday after deputies discovered him in a car within the parking zone of a sheriff’s substation greater than two hours after the shootings in Half Moon Bay, in response to San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus.

“This kind of shooting is horrific,” Corpus stated of the violence in the neighborhood of some 11,000 residents about 30 miles south of San Francisco. “It’s a tragedy that we hear about far too often but today has hit home here in San Mateo County,” she stated throughout a information convention Monday evening.

The horror unfolded round 2:22 p.m. native time Monday when deputies realized of the taking pictures in an unincorporated space of San Mateo County, Corpus added.

One taking pictures occurred at a mushroom farm and one other close to a trucking facility, roughly two miles from the farm, in response to Dave Pine, president of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors.

At one taking pictures scene, officers discovered 4 victims useless and one wounded, Corpus stated. Shortly after, three extra victims have been discovered useless at a separate web site, she added. When requested to make clear which location the primary taking pictures occurred in, Corpus informed reporters that’s nonetheless underneath investigation.

The injured particular person was in essential situation at an area hospital Monday evening, Corpus stated.

In the course of the investigation, Zhao was recognized as a suspect and was later discovered sitting inside his car on the substation, an announcement from the sheriff’s workplace stated.

Zhao was taken into custody with out incident round 4:40 p.m., and a semi-automatic handgun was present in his car at the moment, Corpus stated.

Investigators have been working with the district legal professional to interview Zhao, the sheriff stated.

Simply this month alone, California has seen not less than 5 mass shootings, in response to the Gun Violence Archive, which – like CNN – defines a mass taking pictures as one the place not less than 4 persons are wounded or killed, not together with the assailant.

The grief gripping the Half Moon Bay neighborhood comes towards the backdrop of different neighborhoods reeling from gun violence throughout the US, the place total not less than 39 mass shootings have occurred thus far this yr, the archive’s knowledge reveals.

A kind of shootings occurred simply hours after the gunfire in Half Moon Bay in Oakland, about 40 miles to the northeast. One particular person was killed and 7 others have been injured in a shooting there Monday night, police stated.

And one other mass taking pictures devastated Monterey Park in southern California, the place a gunman opened hearth Saturday evening, claiming the lives of not less than 11 individuals and wounding 9 others. The taking pictures occurred close to the positioning of the bulk Asian American metropolis’s Lunar New Yr pageant.

The house owners of the mushroom farm in Half Moon Bay the place a number of victims have been discovered stated the killings have left them “shook” and that they haven’t any prior information of the gunman or his motives.

“With no past knowledge with this gunman or his motives, we are shook and very eager to gain more information from the authorities and their investigations,” Harmony Farms stated in an announcement to CNN. “Our hearts are with the victims, their families and the Chinese American community– from Half Moon Bay to Monterey Park.”

Monterey Park Mayor Henry Lo supplied condolences to Half Moon Bay residents, saying his neighborhood is now on the “long road of recovery” to heal.

“I know what is in store for them in the next few days,” Lo stated.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom stated he was at a hospital assembly victims of the Monterey Park mass taking pictures when he was “pulled away to be briefed about another shooting. This time in Half Moon Bay.”

“Tragedy upon tragedy,” Newsom tweeted.

Ray Mueller, a San Mateo County supervisor, stated the Half Moon Bay neighborhood wants to come back collectively in therapeutic in addition to help one another to handle gun violence.

“There were farm workers affected tonight; there were children on the scene at the incidents. This is a truly heartbreaking tragedy in our community,” Mueller stated.

Mueller spoke to the psychological well being toll the violence has unleashed in the neighborhood and urged individuals to hunt assist, particularly as the town has been attempting to get well from the affect of latest deadly flooding that stretched throughout giant swaths of the state.

“Please take advantage of the mental health crisis counseling that is available,” he stated, including that anybody can attain out to the county’s hotline. “You are not alone.”