Deadly gunfire shatters the laid-back lifestyle of big surf mecca Half Moon Bay
HALF MOON BAY -- Residents in the quiet coastal community of Half Moon Bay awoke Tuesday morning to the nightmare of deadly gun violence.
The murder of seven people is hard to come to grips with even in urban centers that have gotten far too accustomed to police beat checks littered with shootings and other violent acts.
Half Moon Bay is a community nestled along the San Mateo County coast that Bay Area residents move to escape urban violence. Its coastal hills are dotted with Christmas tree farms and pumpkin patches.
Annually, thousands flock to its streets for the pumpkin festival and celebrated weigh-off where last year Travis Gienger captured the title with a record-setting gourd of 2,650 pounds.
It's also an international big surf destination thanks to the legendary offshore Mavericks wave break.
During winter storms, waves of 30 feet or more are common. When it's held, Mavericks is considered one of big wave's holy grail along with Hawaii's recently held 'The Eddie'.
Now, it's become the latest community to be shattered by a mass shooting.
CALIFORNIA MASS SHOOTINGS
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- Family member confirms identity of victim killed in Half Moon Bay mass shooting
- 'Scourge of gun violence;' Local politicians react to Half Moon Bay mass shooting
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Chunli Zhao, a Half Moon Bay resident and possible disgruntled employee, went on a shooting spree at two local mushroom farms, killing seven and wounding another.
"This is an enormous tragedy," local Congresswoman Anna Eshoo told KPIX. "When any of us think of Half Moon Bay, it's always a happy, pleasant thought. It's the home of the pumpkin festival. It's the Mavericks surfing competition. But today it's murder. Seven precious lives lost."
"We don't understand why," she continued. "We are grateful the sheriff's department has the suspect in custody. But this is the shattering of the lives of seven families and it's my understanding that one person has been taken to Stanford Medical Center for treatment and I understand it's serious."
Her sentiments were echoed on social media and in interviews.
"This kind of shooting is horrific," said San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus. "It's a tragedy we hear about far too often but today it's hit home here in San Mateo County."
Former resident Dave Johnson took to Twitter.
"Damn, I lived in Half Moon Bay for years." he posted. "Quaint, quiet, California surf & flower town. Home of Mavericks. Unimaginable that this happened here."
Kate Shay left her office when she got first word of the shooting and went to volunteer at a center set up for the victims' families.
"I walked into my boss's office at 4 p.m. and said: 'There's four people dead in my hometown, I've got to go,'" she told KPIX. "The farmworkers on the coast have a rough life. It's terrible."
It may be days before we know what motivated Zhao to go on his killing spree but the impact will linger for years to come.