Half Moon Bay, California – The owner of mushroom farms in Half Moon Bay faces lawsuits following a tragic shooting incident that claimed the lives of seven farmworkers last year. The family of one of the victims, Jose, who died in the shooting, along with his brother, Pedro Felix Romero Perez, who survived five gunshot wounds, have filed lawsuits against Xianmin Guan of California Terra Garden, Inc.
The lawsuits allege that California Terra Garden failed to implement adequate measures to protect its workers from potential violent acts committed by third parties. It is further claimed that the shooter, Chunli Zhao, had a known history of violence, and a previous shooting incident had occurred on the property in July 2022.
In a statement released by the family’s attorneys from Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, it was highlighted that California Terra Garden lacked a safety plan to ensure the protection of its workers from violence. Attorney Nabilah Hossain expressed outrage at the company’s failure to prioritize the safety of essential workers like Pedro and Jose, who endured challenging working and living conditions.
The tragic incident involved Zhao, a worker at the farms, who fatally shot four workers and injured a fifth at California Terra Garden before taking the lives of three more workers at a farm located a short distance away. The family’s attorneys are set to hold a press conference to announce the lawsuits at a specific location in Half Moon Bay.
The legal action taken by the family sheds light on the importance of implementing adequate safety measures in the workplace to prevent such devastating events from occurring. As the community mourns the loss of the victims, the lawsuits signal a push for accountability and justice in the aftermath of the senseless act of violence that took place at the mushroom farms in Half Moon Bay.