Dozens of farm workers and children slept in a reunification center Monday set up just miles away from the scene of a mass shooting in Half Moon Bay.
Families seeked refuge, all while learning what friends, coworkers or family members didn’t make it out.
“He was like a brother to me,” said Alejandro Lopez.
He said one of the eight victims was Marciano Martinez.
He showed up to this reunification center to learn more about his condition but left with more questions than answers.
Others were seen driving out of there in tears.
At one point an ambulance pulled up to take a patient from inside Half Moon Bay’s I.D.E.S. Portuguese Hall.
“It seems there is a family member in there who may have lost a family member so we can hear a lot of crying, its heartbreaking,” said Lizette Diaz of ALAS.
Her organization dropped off clothing, food, and blankets. She said there was about 13 children and 40 adults in need -- many of them in anguish, searching for answers.
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“I cannot imagine what those kids witnessed today,” said Diaz.
The sorrow was shared by many as resident after resident showed up with bags filled with goodies and stacks of blankets. Anything to offer a bit of comfort to the survivors.
“There’s a lot of tragedies hitting our country right now, more mass shootings than the number of days in a month and to hit our small town, is really shocking,” said Evany Sullivan, Half Moon Bay resident.
A farmworker said that about 25 people were living at the ranch that turned into a crime scene.
He believes at least two of the victims were Latinos and the rest of Asian descent.
