At least four people have been killed in a mass shooting at a child’s birthday party in California.
Ten others were injured in a shooting at a restaurant in the state’s northern city of Stockton on Saturday evening.
Local police say the victims include both adults and children. The condition of the injured has not been confirmed.
A suspect is still at large and police say they believe the shooting may have been “targeted.”
The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office said the shooting occurred shortly before 18:00 local time (02:00 GMT on Sunday), and appealed to anyone with “information, video footage, or who may have witnessed any part of the incident” to come forward.
Spokeswoman Heather Brent described the incident as “unfathomable”, adding: “This is a very active and ongoing investigation, and information is limited.
“Early indications suggest this may have been a targeted incident, and investigators are exploring all possibilities.”
Stockton Mayor Christina Fugazi called the shooting “unacceptable.”
“Families should be together instead of in the hospital, standing next to their loved ones and praying that they survive.”
California has some of the strictest gun laws in the US and has faced challenges in recent years.
In 2021, a federal judge overturned the state’s ban on assault weapons such as AR-15 rifles.
The following year, the U.S. Supreme Court expanded gun rights as it struck down a New York law restricting gun-carrying rights, putting similar regulation in California at risk.
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