REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – A year after the tragic workplace shootings in Half Moon Bay, which resulted in the deaths of seven coworkers and the injury of an eighth, Chunli Zhao, 66, has been indicted by a San Mateo County criminal grand jury. The indictment includes seven counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder, along with a special circumstance allegation of multiple murders.
The District Attorney’s Office announced that Zhao will be arraigned on the anniversary of the workplace shootings, at 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday. This comes after Zhao pleaded not guilty to the original charges and has been in custody since the mass shooting.
The grand jury indictment is a significant development in the case, as it supercedes the previously filed felony complaint, negating the need for a preliminary hearing. Prosecutors presented the case to the grand jury in order to expedite the legal process, as the victims’ families deserve to have this move along, according to District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.
Zhao’s attorneys have not yet commented on the grand jury indictment. This indictment comes after the preliminary hearing was originally scheduled for December but was moved to March 18 due to Zhao’s legal team requesting more time.
Despite the indictment, this is still a developing story and updates are expected in the near future. This tragic incident continues to have a lasting impact on the community and the families of the victims.