HALF MOON BAY, Calif. (KRON) — The suspected gunman that shot and killed seven people Monday in Half Moon Bay is expected to be in court for the initial felony arraignment on Wednesday afternoon, according to the District Attorney’s office.

The suspect currently in custody for the shooting in Chunli Zhao, 66, of Half Moon Bay.

Local officials hold press conference to share updates

Local officials gave an update on the shooting Tuesday morning. San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said Half Moon Bay has never had this many deaths at one scene.

Wagstaffe said the sheriff’s office would be submitting the case to the DA’s office Tuesday and charges would be filed Wednesday. While the charges have not been determined yet, Wagstaffe told KRON4 the anticipated charges would be seven counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, and a special circumstance allegation of “multiple murder.” 

San Mateo County Sheriff’s Captain Eamonn Allen said the gun used was a legally purchased semi-automatic handgun.

Allen said no motive has been determined yet, but all evidence points to workplace violence and the victims were a mix of Asian and Hispanic men and women.

Zhao is due at the Hall of Justice in Redwood City at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Officials said Zhao hit two separate agricultural facilities. He is believed to have worked at one of them, according to Half Moon Bay Sheriff Christina Corpus.

Zhao was located in his vehicle in the parking lot of the Half Moon Bay substation by a sheriff’s deputy and taken into custody a little more than two hours after the shooting. The semi-automatic handgun believed to be used in the shooting was found in his vehicle, according to officials.

Governor Gavin Newsom visits Half Moon Bay

On Tuesday, California Governor Gavin Newsom traveled to Half Moon Bay to meet with officials and families of victims. Governor Newsom spoke alongside Sheriff Corpus, and shared details about some of the challenges the investigation is navigating.

Governor Newsom went on to say, “Only in America do we see this kind of carnage, this kind of chaos, this kind of destruction of community.”

I had the honor of being here at the I.D.E.S hall. With the families, with the people that were directly impacted and some of the family members received some really bad news that they lost their loved one, but what I can tell you is that the coastal community came together.

Sheriff Corpus

Newly released court documents show that the suspected shooter may have threatened violence against coworkers in the past. A farm where Zhao worked, and one of the shootins occurred, tells KRON4 that the business had “no previous concerns” about his behavior.