Six dead and 10 injured in shooting in California, say police

Police in California are searching for at least one suspect in connection with a mass shooting in Sacramento city centre in which six people died and 10 people were injured.

Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester said at a news conference that police were patrolling the area at about 2am when they heard gunfire.

When they arrived at the scene, they found a large crowd gathered on the street and six people dead. A further 10 people either took themselves to hospitals or were transported there.

Authorities do not know whether one or more suspects were involved and are asking for the public’s help in identifying who is responsible.

Ms Lester said it was “a very complex and complicated scene”.

She issued a plea to the public, asking for witnesses or anyone with recordings of the incident to contact police.

Shortly after the shooting, video was posted on Twitter that showed people running through the street amid the sound of rapid gunfire. Video also showed multiple ambulances at the scene.

Residents were asked to avoid the area, which is packed with restaurants and bars leading to the Golden One Centre, where the Sacramento Kings play basketball.

Berry Accius, a community activist, said he had arrived at the scene shortly after the shooting.

“The first thing I saw was like victims. I saw a young girl with a whole bunch of blood in her body, a girl taking off glass from her, a young girl screaming saying, ‘They killed my sister’. A mother running up, ‘Where’s my son, has my son been shot?’” he said.

Kay Harris, 32, said she was asleep when one of her family members called to say they thought her brother had been killed. She said she thought he was at London, a nightclub at 1009 10th Street.

Ms Harris said she had been to the club a few times and described it as a place for “the younger crowd”.

Police have closed the streets around the club.