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Jan. 25 (UPI) -- Chunli Zhao, the 67-year-old suspect in the killings at two California farms, was charged with murder in the killing of seven people in Half Moon Bay. Zhao faces seven counts of murder for the seven victims killed, and one count of attempted murder for one victim who survived, USA Today reports.
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Zhao is accused of opening fire at two farms that are located about two miles apart, including Mushroom Mountain, where he was employed and resided.
San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus said during a Tuesday press conference the incident is believed to be workplace violence, though the only known connection between Zhao and his victims is that some may have been coworkers.
Zhao was armed with a semiautomatic handgun that was purchased and possessed legally. He was discovered in his vehicle at a police substation by deputies later Monday evening. He exited the vehicle at the command of a deputy and was taken into custody without incident.
Also on Wednesday, the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office coroner revealed the identities of six who were killed in the Half Moon Bay shooting. San Francisco's KRON 4 reports the victims as:
The seventh victim killed was identified as Jose Romero Perez, according to a criminal complaint by the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office.
Pedro Romero Perez was injured in the shooting but survived.
Jimenez was a supervisor at Concord Farms, family members told KRON 4 and ABC 7 San Francisco.
The San Francisco Chronicle obtained court records of a previous incident of violence committed by Zhao. In 2013, a roommate and coworker accused Zhao of attacking him with a kitchen knife and attempting to strangle him in a work-related dispute. The roommate was granted a restraining order against Zhao.
