A candelight vigil at Mac Dutra Plaza on Main Street in Half Moon Bay on Friday is among several events planned in the coming days to remember the victims killed in a mass shooting at local farms.
The vigil will start at 5 p.m. and will include song and prayer, according to the City of Half Moon Bay.
Then on Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 4 p.m., a memorial service will be held at the Boys & Girls Club Event Center at 530 Kelly Ave. The service will include prayer and healing words from interfaith leaders. Immediately after the memorial service, a candlelight processional walk will occur down Kelly Avenue, past the Mac Dutra Plaza memorial, and down Main Street to the I.D.E.S. Hall, 735 Main St. according to the city.
At 6 p.m. at I.D.E.S Hall, a community gathering for dinner and fellowship will be held. Those who would like to join the gathering are encouraged to register here.
Julio Escobar from the Archdiocese of San Francisco – Restorative Justice Ministry helped plan and organize the events for the victims and families in partnership with the city, county, Coastside Interfaith Community, Chamber of Commerce, and other community-based organizations.
“The Coastside continues to rally together through tough and tragic events, and it is a testament to why so many of us call this place home, choose to work here, or visit often,” the city said. “We know the community has been looking for opportunities to come together and grieve the seven lives lost and others that have been directly affected.”
Seven people were fatally shot and another person injured at shootings at Mountain Mushroom Farm and Concord Farms Monday afternoon. The lone suspect, Chunli Zhao, 66, of Half Moon Bay, was arrested shortly thereafter at a Half Moon Bay police substation.
According to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office, Zhao was angry at several co-workers over perceived mistreatment and used a ruger semi-automatic handgun to fatally shoot five men and two women. The eighth person injured in the shooting was the brother of one of the killed victims, according to prosecutors.
Six of the seven victims have been identified while authorities await notification on the next of kin for the seventh victim. The identified victims include Yetao Bing, 43, whose residence was unknown, Qizhong Cheng, 66, of Half Moon Bay, Marciano Martinez Jimenez, 50 (pictured), of Moss Beach, Jingzhi Lu, 64, of Half Moon Bay, Zhishen Liu, 73, of San Francisco, and Aixiang Zhang, 74, of San Francisco.
Several GoFundMe fundraisers have been set up for the victims, including here, and here. Another GoFundMe was set up by a brother of Jimenez, described as an honorable, hard-working man who had lived in the Half Moon Bay community for 25 years. Jimenez worked at Concord Farms and was a longtime volunteer for RotaCare Clinic in Half Moon Bay. The fundraiser aims to support funeral costs, including transporting Jimenez to their hometown in Oaxaca, Mexico.
On Wednesday, Zhao was appointed an attorney during his initial felony arraignment. The case was continued to Feb. 16 for further arraignment and entry of pleas.
