Half Moon Bay, California – The families of victims in a tragic mass shooting at a mushroom farm in Half Moon Bay have filed lawsuits against the employer, alleging negligence in protecting the workers from a deadly rampage. Chunli Zhao, 67, has been charged in the deaths of seven individuals at California Terra Garden and Concord Farm, where he was employed. The shooting was reportedly triggered by a dispute over a $100 bill for a damaged forklift repair.
According to the lawsuits, the owners of California Terra Garden failed to provide adequate housing and failed to address warning signs of potential violence from Zhao. Attorney Duffy Magilligan, representing a survivor of the shooting, Pedro Felix Romero Perez, stated that there were clear indications of Zhao’s violent history, as well as a previous violent incident at the farm.
Pedro Felix Romero Perez, who had been living and working at California Terra Garden since 2021, was joined by his older brother, Jose Romero Perez, who migrated from Oaxaca, Mexico, to work alongside him. The lawsuits highlight the substandard living conditions at the farm, where farmworkers resided in makeshift homes with inadequate facilities.
The legal action also points out a previous shooting incident at the farm, as well as Zhao’s violent history, including a restraining order filed against him in 2013. Despite being aware of these risks, the farm allegedly failed to take necessary precautions to protect its workers from harm, resulting in the tragic outcome.
Pedro Felix Romero Perez was shot multiple times during the rampage, which also claimed the life of his brother, Jose Romero Perez. The lawsuits allege that Zhao faced no obstacles as he made his way to the farm encampment, where he targeted more individuals. Following the shooting, the farm faced citations for safety violations related to failing to address hazards posed by an active shooter.
Attorney Magilligan emphasized the responsibility of landowners to ensure the safety of individuals on their property, pointing to the Cal OSHA investigation findings as evidence of the farm’s failure to protect its workers. The lawsuits seek to hold the owners of California Terra Garden accountable for their alleged negligence in protecting their employees.