Monterey Park, Half Moon Bay mass shooting victims honored in proposed Congressional resolution

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Palo Alto) introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives on Tuesday honoring the lives of the victims of two mass shootings in California in January, including ones that took the lives of seven farmworkers in Half Moon Bay.

The resolution was introduced along with Rep. Judy Chu (D-Pasadena) whose district includes Monterey Park in Southern California, where another shooting took place on Jan. 21, two days before the Half Moon Bay killings.

"Over the course of less than 48 hours in January, the horrific mass shootings in Half Moon Bay and Monterey Park claimed eighteen precious lives, forever altered two beloved and close-knit communities, and compounded the sense of fear and insecurity that the Asian American community is experiencing amid a disturbing rise in anti-Asian hate," Eshoo said.

"By honoring the memories of the deceased, I'm hopeful this resolution will provide some solace to my constituents and recommit Congress to addressing gun violence and preventing future tragedies," she said.

ALSO READ: President Biden pays tribute to victims of Half Moon Bay, Monterey Park shootings

House Resolution 200 condemns the shootings, honors the memory of those killed, expresses condolences for the families of the victims, and offers support for those impacted.

The resolution recognized the lives of the two farmworkers killed in Half Moon Bay who were from Mexico, noting that all of the victims in the Jan. 23 shooting were immigrant farm laborers who were working in exploitative conditions.

Their names were Yetao Bing, Qizhong Cheng, Marciano Martinez Jimenez, Zhishen, Liu, Jingzhi Lu, Jose Romero Perez, and Aixiang Zhang.

Another victim, Pedro Romero Perez, was critically injured in the shooting.

It affirmed Congress's support for the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, noting that hate crimes against the community had increased more than threefold from 2020 to 2021.

"During a time that Asian Americans have been experiencing an increase in hatred and xenophobic attacks, it is vital for Congress to remind the Asian American community they have our support and that we must press forward on passing additional gun safety legislation to ensure the safety of our communities," Chu said.

Both representatives are members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

The resolution was referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability. It has received 55 co-sponsors, including 21 from California.

The suspect in the Half Moon Bay shootings, Chunli Zhao, is due back in court on May 3. He has pleaded not guilty.