Half Moon Bay shooting suspect Chunli Zhao charged with 7 counts of murder in California
- The Chinese citizen, who has lived in the US for 10 years, made his first court appearance after a deadly gun rampage left seven people dead
- Investigators do not believe the shooting was a copycat crime inspired by the Monterey Bay massacre
A 66-year-old immigrant farmworker was formally charged with premeditated murder in the fatal shooting of seven co-workers near San Francisco, the second of two gun rampages in California in recent days in which 18 people were killed.
Chunli Zhao, a Chinese citizen and the lone suspect in Monday’s massacre at two mushroom farms in the seaside town of Half Moon Bay, was formally presented with seven counts of murder and a single count of attempted murder during his first court appearance in nearby Redwood City on Wednesday.
Zhao, wearing red-coloured jail garb and enclosed behind a glass panel, was ordered held without bond during a brief hearing before a San Mateo County Superior Court judge.
The pudgy defendant, with close-cropped grey hair, was expressionless through the hearing. He was assigned two private defence lawyers; no plea was entered.
The next court proceeding in the case was set for February 16.
A Mandarin-language translator was provided for the defendant, who according to District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe is a Chinese citizen who has lived in the United States for at least 10 years.
