The Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco confirmed five Chinese nationals were among the victims in the California shootings. The exact shooting occurred in the City of Half Moon Bay, California.

“The consulate is in contact with the relevant US authorities to review the progress of the investigation,” a Chinese embassy spokesman said in a statement, which strongly condemned the violence.

The shooting that happened in Half Moon Bay on Monday January 23, 2023 killed seven people. The incident was the second of a gun rampage in California in recent days.

A total of 18 people died in the two mass shootings in Half Moon Bay

Chunli Zhao is the only suspect in the massacre at two mushroom farms in the northern California seaside town. He is a 66-year-old Chinese national and immigrant farm worker.

He was formally charged with seven counts of murder and one count of attempted murder while appearing at his first hearing in nearby Redwood City on Wednesday, January 25, 2023.

Police say the circumstances surrounding the Half Moon Bay massacre suggest the alleged motive for the attack was some sort of work-related dissatisfaction.

Meanwhile, Gun Violence Archive recorded 38 mass shootings in the United States in the first 21 days of this year. A mass shooting involves four or more people who are shot or killed, excluding the shooter.