Half Moon Bay: DA confirms report that shooter was triggered by $100 equipment bill
According to a report from NBC Bay Area, the alleged Half Moon Bay killer was enraged by a $100 bill from his boss following a workplace accident.
San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe told the Bay Area News Group on Friday that a report that suspected Half Moon Bay killer Chunli Zhao told investigators his shooting spree came after he was enraged by a $100 equipment bill from his boss was accurate.
NBC Bay Area first reported that Zhao was instructed to pay a $100 bill after a workplace incident, an order which he disputed. Zhao claimed that while he was operating a forklift, the vehicle was struck by a coworker on a bulldozer.
Approximately 30 minutes before the shooting, according to the station, he vented his frustrations over the bill to a supervisor.
After confronting his boss once more, the report says, he shot the supervisor and the coworker he blamed for the accident.
Zhao was formally charged Wednesday with seven counts of murder and one count of attempted murder with additional sentencing enhancements. According to the NBC Bay Area report, he took responsibility for the shootings while speaking to investigators.
In an arraignment hearing Wednesday, Wagstaffe left open the possibility of the death penalty for Zhao. If Wagstaffe chooses not to pursue that route, Zhao could face life in prison without the possibility of parole.
“We have so much more to learn about this individual, about the victims and their families and the harm that’s been inflicted here,” Wagstaffe said Wednesday.
Zhao’s next appearance in court is set for Feb. 16, where he’s expected to enter a plea.