Police in Sacramento, California, are hunting for one or more suspects after six people were killed and at least nine others injured after a shooting in the city’s downtown.
The Sacramento police department says the shooting happened early Sunday morning.
Sacramento police chief Kathy Lester said at a news conference that police were patrolling the area at about 2am after hearing gunfire. When they arrived at the scene, they found a large crowd gathered on the street and six people dead.
Another 10 either took themselves or were transported to hospitals. No information was given on their conditions.
Authorities don’t know whether one or more suspects were involved and are asking for the public’s help in identifying who is responsible. Lester did not give specifics on the type of gun used.
This is “a very complex and complicated scene”, she said. Lester issued a plea to the public, asking for witnesses or anyone with recordings of the incident to contact police.
Video posted on Twitter showed people running through the street as the sound of rapid gunfire could be heard in the background. Video showed multiple ambulances had been sent to the scene.
Police provided few details about the circumstances surrounding the shooting but said a “large police presence will remain and the scene remains active. “Officers located at least 15 shooting victims, including 6 who are deceased,” the police said in a statement.
Residents were asked to avoid the area, which is packed with restaurants and bars that leads to the Golden One Center, where the Sacramento Kings play basketball.
Local politicians weighed in with statements of shock.
“Around 2:30am, I got the call no elected official wants to get. Another shooting. More lives lost. The national gun violence epidemic has hit our community – again,” said local council member Katie Valenzuela.
Sacramento mayor Darrell Steinberg said: “Words can’t express my shock and sadness this morning. The numbers of dead and wounded are difficult to comprehend… rising gun violence is the scourge of our city, state and nation, and I support all actions to reduce it.”
One local resident described arriving at the location of the shootings. Berry Accius of youth mentorship non-profit Sacramento’s Voice of the Youth, said he found a “chaotic” situation at the scene, TV station KXTV reported.
“A lot of victims with blood, just watching some of the families that didn’t know if their loved one was alive, running, trying to figure out what was happening, people distraught, people discombobulated,” Accius told the television station.
Phone messages seeking comment were left with the Sacramento police.