Immigrant California farm worker charged with 7 murders in Half Moon Bay shooting

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Jan 25 (Reuters) – An immigrant farm worker accused of shooting seven folks to demise close to San Francisco, a few of them his co-workers, made his first courtroom look on Wednesday after he was charged with homicide in California’s second lethal gun rampage in current days.

Chunli Zhao, 66, the lone suspect in Monday’s bloodbath at two mushroom farms in the seaside city of Half Moon Bay, was formally offered with seven counts of premeditated homicide and a single depend of tried homicide lodged in a felony criticism filed by native prosecutors.

Zhao, handcuffed and garbed in a purple jumpsuit, was ordered held with out bond throughout a short listening to earlier than a decide in San Mateo County Superior Court in close by Redwood City, California. He was assigned two non-public protection legal professionals, however no plea was entered.

The subsequent courtroom continuing in the case was set for Feb. 16.

A Mandarin-language translator was supplied for the defendant, who in keeping with District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe is a Chinese citizen who has resided in the United States for not less than 10 years.

After the listening to, Wagstaffe advised reporters outdoors the courthouse that prosecutors haven’t but decided Zhao’s exact immigration standing, or whether or not he entered the nation legally.

The prosecutor mentioned authorities do have an thought concerning the suspect’s motives however declined to share that with reporters.

The district legal professional additionally mentioned Zhao was “cooperative with sheriff’s detectives” who initially interviewed him by means of a Mandarin interpreter following his arrest and gave “a complete statement.”

Still, the expectation is that he’ll enter a not-guilty plea because the continuing progress, “and we want to make sure this man gets a fair trial,” Wagstaffe mentioned.

In addition to the eight felony counts it accommodates, the 10-page felony criticism alleges “special circumstances” accusing Zhao of “personally and intentionally” shooting to kill.

California legislation declares that defendants convicted of homicide with “special circumstances” might be eligible for the demise penalty, however Governor Gavin Newsom in 2019 declared a moratorium on executions. The state has not executed a condemned inmate since 2006.

Otherwise, the utmost sentence carried by the costs is life in jail with out the potential for parole, Wagstaffe mentioned.

Later on Wednesday, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, a California native, deliberate to journey to the Los Angeles suburb of Monterey Park, website of the primary of the current lethal rampages. She was anticipated to fulfill with some households of the 11 individuals who have been fatally shot in a dance corridor on Saturday evening by a gunman who later took his personal life.

Coming in fast succession, the 2 shootings left California reeling from one of many bloodiest spates of mass gun violence in many years in a state with a few of the strictest firearm legal guidelines in the nation.

Authorities mentioned that every of the 2 killing sprees represented the only biggest lack of life from a single act of violence in Los Angeles and San Mateo counties, respectively.

Asked if investigators believed the Half Moon Bay killings have been a “copy-cat” crime, impressed by the shooting rampage in Monterey Park two days earlier, Wagstaffe mentioned flatly, “No.”

(*7*)Zhao was taken into custody on Monday night outdoors a sheriff’s station, the place police mentioned he had pushed shortly after the assault on farm staff.

The exact motive for the shooting remained unclear. Zhao had been employed by one of many growers, Mountain Mushroom Farm, and had resided on the property alongside with another staff, in keeping with a spokesperson for California Terra Gardens, which owns the farm. Authorities mentioned early proof indicated the bloodshed stemmed from a office grievance. The second crime scene, Concord Farms, is a few mile away.

Reporting by Alexandra Ulmer in Half Moon Bay, Calif.; Additional reporting Tim Reid, Gabriella Borter, Rich McKay, Brendan O’Brien, Brad Brooks, Jonathan Allen, Joseph Ax, Dan Whitcomb, Eric Beech, Omar Younis and Timothy Gardner; Writing and extra reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and David Gregorio

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.