(Los Angeles) The man suspected of having killed seven of his fellow agricultural workers in California admitted the facts Thursday to an American journalist and assured that he suffered from mental disorders, while denouncing the overwork imposed by his employer.
Currently in pretrial detention, Chunli Zhao is to be prosecuted for the two attacks he perpetrated on Monday at two farms in Half Moon Bay, near San Francisco. This 66-year-old Chinese admitted his guilt on Thursday to an NBC journalist who visited him in prison.
“He admitted to doing it” and “he regrets it,” said Janelle Wang, one of NBC’s local San Francisco-area anchors.
During their interview in Mandarin, limited to 15 minutes, the suspect explained that he “thinks he suffers from certain mental disorders”, she added. “He’s been battling it for a while and he says he wasn’t in his normal state on Monday. »
Arrested in the parking lot of a police station a few hours after the massacre, the suspect said he had parked there to surrender, according to her.
Among his victims, five are Chinese and two are Mexicans. Another of his ex-colleagues, also Mexican, was injured and is still hospitalized.
“Overwork”
In an attempt to explain his act, Chunli Zhao said “that he had the impression of having suffered years of humiliation”, summed up the journalist. “He had a lot of complaints about long hours and overwork, and he spoke about them, but he says they were ignored. »
In the wake of the killings, authorities opened an investigation into working conditions at the two farms.
Visiting Half Moon Bay on Tuesday, California Governor Gavin Newsom denounced “the conditions” imposed on some farms in the state, with workers “living in containers, earning nine dollars an hour” — although below minimum wage — and have “no health coverage”.
According to Mme Wang, Chunli Zhao, father of a 40-year-old daughter who resides in China, lived in Half Moon Bay with his wife. He explained that he has lived in the United States for 11 years and holds a green card, the famous sesame which allows immigrants to work in the country on a permanent basis.
The suspect, who faces life imprisonment or even the death penalty, has many questions about the judicial process, according to the journalist. “I don’t know if he really understands what awaits him and what he risks,” she explained.
After a brief preliminary hearing on Wednesday, his next appearance is scheduled for February 16.
Mystery in the other killing
The killing perpetrated by Chunli Zhao deeply shocked California, less than 48 hours after another massacre carried out by a septuagenarian of Asian origin which left 11 dead near Los Angeles.
The other shooter, Huu Can Tran, wreaked havoc on Saturday in the middle of Chinese New Year at a Monterey Park dance hall he had frequented for a long time, and tried to attack another ballroom before killing himself .
Police said the 72-year-old was of Vietnamese descent, but had previously lived in Hong Kong. His motives remain mysterious and investigators have yet to identify his motive, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna admitted on Wednesday.
Authorities say the shooter used a Cobray CM11-9 semi-automatic pistol, which is illegal in California. However, “she was bought by the suspect […] in the city of Monterey Park,” the sheriff said.
Vice President Kamala Harris visited this predominantly Asian suburb on Wednesday, where she met with the families of victims. Like President Joe Biden, who is calling for swift passage of a bill to restrict access to assault rifles to people over 21, she has called for better gun controls in the United States.
US parliamentarians “must act”, she insisted.