Immigrant Farm Worker is Charged with 7 Murders

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Chunli Zhao was formally charged of premeditated murder on January 25th in the deadly shooting of seven co-workers close to San Francisco, the second of two-gun rampages in California in recent days in which 18 individuals were killed.

While many details about the shootings at two Half Moon Bay mushroom farms are still unknown, investigators have released some key information about the suspects.

Chunli Chao, 66, of Half Moon Bay, is accused of shooting and killing five people at Mountain Mushroom Farm, four of whom died, before shooting three more victims at Concord Farms.

On Wednesday, Zhao was charged with seven counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. In addition, he also faces improvement for intentionally firing a firearm and inflicting serious bodily harm.

Israel Guerrero, a student from Hidden Valley, gives his perspective on the mass shooting. “I don’t understand exactly why Zhao committed these murders, but I’m assuming he had conflict between the group of people he killed.”

All eight victims were deliberately targeted, investigators said, as Zhao developed anger toward his colleagues.

It is still unclear whether the anger was a known issue between Zhao and his colleagues, or an isolated incident that escalated.

Guerrero gives more insight on the topic. “Due to Zhao’s crimes I believe the court will give him life in prison or maybe even the death penalty, sense it was intended.”

He was charged with seven counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, enhanced use of a firearm in each case, and one count of special circumstances of multiple homicides, which could make him eligible for the death penalty, but it hasn’t fully been decided, authorities said.

More details about what caused the Half Moon Bay tragedy will emerge in the coming days and weeks, but for now, many in the community have already turned their attention to picking up the pieces.