Sacramento Police Department on Sunday said that there were multiple perpetrators involved in the shooting incident that occurred in the capital of the US state of California, which resulted in the death of six people.
Speaking at a press conference, Police Chief Katherine Lester said that the shooting occurred after a large fight broke out in the entertainment district in central Sacramento. Lester said that there 18 people were hit by gunfire by multiple shooters.
"What we now know is that 18 people were hit by gunfire. 6 have died, they were all adults. They were three men and three women," Lester said.
"Investigators are working to identify those responsible for this horrific act. We know that a large fight took place just prior to the shootings. And we have confirmed that there are multiple shooters," she added.
The police officer said investigators were interviewing a number of witnesses and located hundreds of pieces of evidence from the scene, including a stolen handgun.
"We are shocked and heartbroken by this tragedy but we are also resolved as an agency to find those responsible and to secure justice for the victims and their families," she said.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said that the scourge of gun violence continues to be a crisis in the US.
"As it is early in this investigation, my administration will continue to work closely with local and state law enforcement as we monitor the situation. What we do now at this point is that another mass casualty shooting has occurred, leaving families with lost loved ones, multiple individuals injured and a community in grief," he said.
According to police, the search for the suspects continues.
Notably, the shooting took place near several city landmarks including the California State Capitol, Sacramento City Hall and Golden 1 Center, where the Sacramento Kings are scheduled to play Sunday night, CNN reported.
( With inputs from ANI )
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