Seven people dead, suspect in custody in Half Moon Bay shooting 

HALF MOON BAY, Calif. (KRON) — A suspect is in custody in connection to separate shootings that left seven people dead and one injured in Half Moon Bay on Monday afternoon, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed. At this time, officials say there is no ongoing threat to the public.

At 2:22 p.m., deputies were called to the 12700 block of Cabrillo Highway to answer a report of a shooting with multiple victims. Upon arriving at the scene, deputies found four victims deceased with gunshot wounds. A fifth victim suffering from gunshot wounds was transported to Stanford Medical Center with life-threatening injuries, police said.

The suspect was not initially located at the time.

Three additional victims were located deceased in a separate shooting scene on the 2100 block of Cabrillo Highway, police said.

An investigation identified the suspect as Chunli Zhao, a 67-year old man from Half Moon Bay. Zhao was located in his vehicle in the parking lot of the Half Moon Bay substation by a sheriff’s deputy.

(Photo courtesy of San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office)

He was taken into custody without incident. The weapon he allegedly used in the shootings was located in his vehicle. There is no outstanding threat to the community.

San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus is planning to hold a press conference at the Half Moon Bay Substation located on Kelly Avenue to share further details.

“This is a devastating tragedy for this community and the many families touched by this unspeakable act of violence,” Corpus said.

President Joe Biden has been briefed on the shooting, according to a tweet from White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. California Governor Gavin Newsom says that he was at the hospital meeting victims of the deadly mass shooting in Monterey Park when he was informed of the shootings in Half Moon Bay. “Tragedy upon tragedy,” he said.

KRON4 has also obtained a photo of the suspect in custody. The photo shows the suspect surrounded by several members of law enforcement, and the suspect’s hat is partially down over their face.

Photo of the suspect in custody

A daycare named Holy Family Children’s Center located on HWY 1 was placed on lockdown in relation to the incident at around 3 p.m., officials confirmed to KRON4. As of 5 p.m., all children at the daycare had been safely picked up.

Traffic is currently being redirected due to road closures on Hwy 92. Drivers are asked to use Hwy 1 thru Pacifica as an alternate route, according to the Pacifica Police Department.

Currently there is no known motive for the shootings. Anyone who has information about these incidents is asked to contact Detective Deschler at 1-800-547-2700.