7 killed in shooting in Half Moon Bay, California

The owners of a mushroom farm in an unincorporated area in San Mateo County where a gunman killed four people and wounded another before killing three more people at a nearby trucking facility said the killings have left them “shook” and that they have no past knowledge of the gunman or his motives.

In the statement, Concord Farms said it is a family-owned and operated mushroom farm that has been in its location for 37 years, It thanked the support of the community in the wake of the shooting and swift actions of law enforcement.

President Joe Biden says he is praying for the victims of the mass shooting in Half Moon Bay, California, and once again calling on Congress to “act quickly” and ban assault weapons.

“Even as we await further details on these shootings, we know the scourge of gun violence across America requires stronger action. I once again urge both chambers of Congress to act quickly and deliver this Assault Weapons Ban to my desk, and take action to keep American communities, schools, workplaces, and homes safe,” Biden added.

Children were present at the time of a mass shooting Monday that left at least seven people dead, San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus said during a news conference on Monday night.

Corpus said the shooting was spread across two locations, including one where children were present, she said.

Half Moon Bay Vice Mayor Joaquin Jimenez said many family members wanted information on possible victims, but police have not publicly identified any of the victims.

Jimenez said he hopes this will be an eye-opener about gun violence in the Half Moon Bay community.

In an overnight statement, the city said the shooting that left seven dead “was a horrific event that has shocked our community, and our hearts go out to all individuals and families affected.”

“It’s something that we would never expect to happen here,” the city said. “We mourn the loss of those whose lives were taken by this horrendous act and send our condolences to their loved ones.” 

Mayor Deborah Penrose said she is “appalled and saddened at this terrible incident, which has completely shocked our community.”

Half Moon Bay continues to work with the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office during the investigation. “The situation continues to unfold, and there is much that we simply do not know. In the coming days, as we learn more, we will come together to heal and take the necessary steps to ensuring that the safety of the community remains a top priority,” the city said.  

In an interview with CNN's Poppy Harlow, Penrose said that it's too early to know a motive and could not provide additional information about the ongoing investigation. 

"We do know is that some of the victims were Chinese, that the perpetrator was Chinese and that this was an agricultural community — they were agricultural workers," she said.

A sheriff’s deputy located the suspect in his vehicle in the parking lot of a sheriff’s substation in Half Moon Bay, San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus said at a news briefing, and he was taken into custody.

A semi-automatic handgun was found in his vehicle, she said.

The suspect in the mass shooting is believed to have acted alone and there is no further threat to the community, the sheriff said.

The suspect in the mass shooting in Half Moon Bay, California, is "believed to be a worker" at one of the locations where people were shot, San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus said Monday.

Asked about what other information she could share about the suspect, she said:

Corpus added that law enforcement also believes "at this time" the semi-automatic weapon found when the suspect was detained in his vehicle was the only weapon involved in the shooting.

The suspect was identified as Chunli Zhao, a 66-year-old resident of Half Moon Bay.

Correction: An earlier version of this story gave the wrong age for Chunli Zhao. He is 66.

The suspect in a mass shooting that left at least seven dead has been identified as Chunli Zhao, according to San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus.

The suspect's name was provided to CNN by San Mateo County Board of Supervisors President Dave Pine. 

Zhao is currently in the custody of the San Mateo County Sheriff.

It is unknown when he will appear in court.