At least six people were killed and 12 others injured during a mass shooting in California's capital city of Sacramento on Sunday, 3 April, police said.
"Officers located at least 15 shooting victims, including six who are killed," Sacramento police said in a statement on Twitter.
The shooting happened in the area of 10th and J Streets, Sacramento police spokesperson Sergeant Zach Eaton was quoted as saying by CNN.
"9th Street to 13th Streer is closed between L Street and J Street as officers investigate a shooting with multiple victims. Conditions unknown at this time. Please avoid the area as a large police presence will remain and the scene remains active," the Sacramento Police said.
Videos posted on Twitter showed people running through the street as the sound of rapid gunfire could be heard in the background.
Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester said that the shooting took place earlier in the day after a large fight in downtown, but did not release any details about the suspect or a possible motive.
Nearby buildings were hit by gunfire and a stolen handgun was recovered at the scene, Lester said, adding that the investigators suspected that multiple shooters were involved in the tragic incident.
Lester also issued a plea to the public at the press conference, asking for witnesses or anyone with recordings of the incident to contact police.
This comes as gun violence in the US remains at a high. More Americans died of gun-related injuries in 2020 than in any other year on record, according to recently published statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That included a record number of gun murders, as well as a near-record number of gun suicides.
In 2020, 45,222 people died from gun-related injuries in the US, according to the CDC. Nearly eight-in-ten (79 percent) US murders in 2020 – 19,384 out of 24,576 – involved a firearm.
(With inputs from CNN.)
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