This morning Sheriff Christina Corpus, along with San Mateo County District Attorney Steven Wagstaff, provided an update on the tragic mass shooting that occurred yesterday afternoon in Half Moon Bay, which they called a possible act of workplace violence.
The suspect, identified as 66-year-old Chunli Zhao of Half Moon Bay, was taken into custody by Sheriff's staff at the parking lot of the Half Moon Bay Police Bureau Substation.
The arrested perpetrator is the sole suspect in the incident and there are no pending threats to the public, authorities said.
In a brief press conference, it was noted that a semi-automatic pistol was located inside the vehicle of the attacker, who was later booked into the San Mateo County Maguire Correctional Facility for seven counts of first degree murder, and one more charge for first degree attempted murder. Each charge also included an enhancement of the use of a firearm in the course of the alleged crimes.
According to investigations, the perpetrator was a colleague or former colleague of the victims at each of the shooting locations. "Based on the information obtained so far, it appears to be an act of violence in the workplace."
In turn, they stressed that the attacker had no known criminal record in San Mateo County and there were no precedent factors known to law enforcement that would have suggested that the man was about to carry out this heinous act of violence.
They specified that there were eight victims of shots, seven of whom have died.
The deceased victims are five adult males and two adult females, while the surviving victim is an adult male.
The victims of this shooting were of Hispanic and Asian origin, and there were no children physically injured during the incident, county authorities said.
Finally, they stressed that the identifications and ages of the victims are still being investigated.
The San Mateo County Coroner's Office has not released any further information on the victims pending confirmation of their identification and the San Mateo County Coroner's Office notifying their loved ones.
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