Half Moon Bay mass shooting victims' family sues mushroom farms' owner
The owner of mushroom farms in Half Moon Bay where seven farmworkers were killed last year is being sued by the family of one of the slain workers and his brother, who survived the mass shooting.
Pedro Felix Romero Perez was shot five times but survived the Jan. 23, 2023 shooting. His older brother Jose died.
Attorneys for the family announced Thursday they have filed lawsuits against Xianmin Guan of California Terra Garden, Inc., alleging the farm "failed to take reasonable steps to protect their tenants from violent acts of third parties."
The lawsuits also allege that the shooter, Chunli Zhao, had a documented history of violence and that there had been another shooting on the property in July 2022.
Authorities said Zhao, who worked at the farms, killed four workers and injured a fifth at California Terra Garden and killed three more workers at a farm a few miles away. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
California Terra Garden had no plan in place to protect workers from violence, according to a press release from attorneys with Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, which is representing the brothers' family.
"California Terra Gardens profits off the backs of migrant workers like Pedro and Jose, who persevered in the face of unimaginable working and living conditions," said attorney Nabilah Hossain. "Instead of protecting them like the essential workers, California Terra Gardens failed to safeguard them from numerous dangers.
Attorneys for the family were scheduled to speak at an 11 a.m. press conference Friday to announce the lawsuits at 604 Main St., Suite G in Half Moon Bay.