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The Chinese farm worker accused of shooting dead seven people and wounding another in the Half Moon Bay area of Northern California carried out the massacre over a $100 bill for damaged equipment, the city’s district attorney has revealed.
San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe made the revelation Friday, confirming an assertion already made by Chunli Zhao – a 66-year-old forklift operator at one of the two farms targeted during the attack – in a recent jailhouse interview.
The shooting transpired last Monday, and was the third to hit the Golden State in just as many days – leaving members of the small coastal community just outside of San Francisco struggling to make sense of the tragedy.
Speaking to a Bay Area new outlet, Wagstaffe finally provided insight as to Zhao’s motives for carrying out the assault on his employer California Terra Garden farm, and the nearby Concord Farms, two days after being arraigned in Redwood City.
Chunli Zhao – a 66-year-old forklift operator at one of the farms targeted during the attack – allegedly carried out the attack over a dispute with his boss over a bill for damaged equipment
San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe made the revelation Friday, confirming an assertion already made by Zhao in a recent jailhouse interview
The report, published Friday by Bay Area News Group, referenced a claim made by Zhao this week from jail, in which he admitted he carried out the rampage over a bill from his boss over damage caused by a collision between Zhao’s forklift and a co-worker’s bulldozer.
The damages amounted to $100, Zhao said – a sum that seemingly proved enough to fan the flames of his pent-up rage.
Zhao – who had argued that his co-worker was to blame for the damages – proceeded to recount how the Chinese immigrant stormed the farm where he had worked for six years and shot both the supervisor and coworker involved in the disagreement, as well as two others on the farm.
Shortly after, according to a worker who survived and witnessed the attack, Zhao would get into his forklift to travel to the second mushroom farm, Concord Farms, where he claimed three more victims.
The shooting transpired last Monday at California Terra Garden farm and was the third to hit the Golden State in just as many days. Four of the victims were shot at the farm where Zhao had worked for six years, and three others at Mountain Mushroom Farms two miles away
the third shooting to hit the Golden State in just as many days, the tragedy left members of the coastal community just outside of San Francisco struggling to make sense of the murders
Speaking to the Bay Area publication Friday, Wagstaffe confirmed Zhao’s version of the day’s events to be legitimate.
The revelation comes as investigators had already aired the belief that the shootings may have been the result of a workplace dispute, with all eight victims ‘intentionally targeted.’
It also comes as the significant other of one of those slain by Zhao came forward Tuesday to confirm her loved one was among the dead.
‘I’m still scared and trying to figure out what happened,’ the first witness told CNN Tuesday of how he ran for cover with other farm hands as the suspect opened fire, killing four of his coworkers. He then added: ‘I don’t understand.’
The victims were killed in two separate attacks on separate farms. Four were were shot at a facility run by Concord Farms, and three at Mountain Mushroom Farms two miles away
The massacre was reportedly witnessed by several children who lived on the farms. Cops Tuesday aired suspicions the incident may have been the result of a workplace dispute
The witness further revealed to the outlet that he had worked with Zhao for about six years at the farm before the tragedy – claim that was supported from an employee who spoke to ABC who said Zhao had worked at the farm for somewhere between ‘five to six years’ as a forklift driver.
Investigators have since confirmed that Zhao had been an employee at the first targeted farm.
After carrying the first part of the massacre, the witness said, Zhao fled the scene on the same forklift that may have led to the tragedy.
Still struggling to make sense of the murders, the survivor said that he had considered Zhao to be ‘friendly’ and ‘a nice guy,’ and had no inkling as to what ‘his problem with these guys’ were, referring to the victims.
He added that he at first tried to hide when the first shots rang out, joined by several frightened coworkers on the farm, where roughly two dozen work in total.
Heartbreakingly, he said he saw one of the victims allegedly shot by Zhao outside of a greenhouse, but after seeing how much he was bleeding, realized ‘it was too late.’
Investigators later found another victim inside the greenhouse, the witness said, adding that both the victims, like the suspect, had been Chinese men.
After the gunfire ceased, he said, he saw the suspect drive off in the forklift. He asked not to be named due to the ongoing police probe.
Other workplace-related grievances aired by Zhao in his courthouse interview, given Thursday, included that he was bullied by his coworkers and that ge was forced to work long hours – all while his complaints were ignored
On Tuesday, after electing to not identify Zhao’s victims due to their investigation still being in its preliminary stage, cops confirmed there had been accounts from witnesses and those who knew Zhao that indicated ‘he may have been disgruntled.’
On Thursday, The San Mateo Coroner’s Office named six of the victims: Zhishen Liu, 73; Marciano Martinez Jimenez, 50; Aixiang Zhang, 74; Qizhong Cheng, 66; Jingzhi Lu, 64; and Yetao Bing, 43.
Charging documents released that day would identify the remaining victim as Jose Romero Perez, and another victim who was wounded but survived as Pedro Romero Perez.
Speaking with FOX2 KTVU Friday, Wagstaffe added that Zhao had long been disgruntled over other work-related disputes but that being hit with the bill may have ‘lit the candle’ for the massacre.
Other workplace-related grievances aired by Zhao in his courthouse interview, given on Thursday, included that he was bullied by his coworkers and that ge was forced to work long hours – all while his complaints were ignored.
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