At least four people have been killed in a mass shooting at a children’s birthday party in California.
Ten others were injured in the shooting at a restaurant in the northern city of Stockton on Saturday evening.
Local police say the victims include adults and children. The condition of the injured has not been confirmed.
A suspect is still on the loose and police believe the shooting may have been “targeted.”
The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office said the shooting happened shortly before 6pm local time (02am GMT Sunday), and is appealing for anyone with “information, video footage or who may have witnessed any part of the incident” to come forward.
Spokesperson Heather Brent described the incident as “unfathomable” and added: “This is a very active and ongoing investigation, and information remains limited.
“Early indications indicate this may be a targeted incident, and investigators are investigating all possibilities.
Stockton Mayor Christina Fugazi called the shooting “unacceptable.”
“Families should be together instead of in the hospital, standing next to their loved one, 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 weaponssuch as the AR-15 rifle.
The following year the The Supreme Court expanded America’s gun rights as it struck down a New York law that restricted the right to bear arms, threatening similar regulations in California.
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