Three people were killed and four others injured in a shooting at a bowling alley in California shortly after midnight on Saturday.
The Torrance Police Department said it had responded to “reports of shots fired with multiple victims down” at Gable House Bowl, around 25 miles south of downtown Los Angeles.
Officers announced more than two hours later that at least three men had died at the scene, while four other male victims had been injured.
Two of the injured men were taken to a local hospital to receive treatment for unknown injuries, while two more sought out their own medical attention.
Authorities have not yet identified the victims or suspects, or released details about what led to the shooting, but witnesses said it had been sparked by a mass brawl.
Wes Hamad, a 29-year-old Torrance resident who was at the bowling alley with his 13-year-old niece and cousin, said he saw a “huge fight” break out prior to the shooting. Mr Hamad said the brawl developed into “complete chaos” in the space of around five minutes, blocking the entrance of Gable House Bowl.
He said: “I grabbed my niece and started running toward the far end of the bowling alley. As we were running, we heard 15 shots.”
Dwayne Edwards, 60, of Los Angeles, said he received a call from his nephew that his 28-year-old son Astin Edwards was one of those killed. His nephew told him his son was attempting to break up a fight when a gunman “just started unloading”.
Mr Edwards said: “I’m thinking this is a dream and I’ll wake up. He was a good kid. I don’t understand it.”
Investigators said they are working to establish whether shots were fired by a single gunman or a group.
This is how the incident unfolded.
Several people are thought to have been shot in California after a gunman opened fire at a bowling alley. The Independent will be providing live updates of the situation as news comes in.
Police officers in the city of Torrance around 25 miles south of Los Angeles have announced on Twitter they are dealing with a shooting in which multiple people have been injured.
There is currently no further information on the condition of the victims or any indications of exactly how many people may have been hurt.
The gunman is understood to have opened fire inside the Gable House bowling alley in Torrance. Gable House is described on its website as a gaming venue that offers bowling, laser tag and a full arcade.
Jesus Perez, an eyewitness who was inside the bowling alley at the time of the shooting, has spoken to The Los Angeles Times at the scene.
“We just ran right into the bar and took cover. All we heard was just, like two people got shot,” he said.
“We heard there was a big fight before that. We just ran into the bar and we just took cover because after the fight we heard pop pop.”
He added he had heard roughly four gunshots and took cover for around 15 minutes before being escorted out of the building by a security guard.
Video from the scene shows what appears to be devastated friends or relatives outside the bowling alley in the aftermath of the shooting.
A second witness has spoken to The Los Angeles Times. Refusing to give his name, he has also said he saw a fight break out before a string of several gunshots were heard.
“There was a fight and then we heard nine gunshots,” he said.
Breaking
Three people have been killed and a further four injured in the shooting, the Associated Press has reported.
Police have now announced three people have died during the shooting at a bowling alley in southern California early on Saturday morning.
All three of those who have been killed are understood to be male, as are a further four victims who were injured by the gunman.
Two of the injured men have been transported to a local hospital for treatment on currently unknown injuries, while two more are said to have sought out their own medical attention.
More footage is emerging from the scene of the attack, where emergency services have now been seen tending to victims.
Wes Hamad, a 29-year-old Torrance resident who was at the bowling alley with his 13-year-old niece and cousin, said he saw a “huge fight” break out prior to the shooting.
Mr Hamad said the brawl developed into “complete chaos” in the space of around five minutes, blocking the entrance of Gable House Bowl.
“I grabbed my niece and started running towards the far end of the bowling alley,” he said. “As we were running, we heard 15 shots.”
As he was leaving, Mr Hamad said he saw a woman weeping over a man who been shot multiple times in the head and neck.
Members of staff at Gable House Bowl have been talking to The Los Angeles Times following the shooting inside the bowling alley.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity as they are not authorised to give statements to the media, they told the newspaper that violence at the establishment is rare.
Employees said occasional alcohol-fueled fights had taken place between customers in the car park, but the business was usually quiet, family-orientated and popular for birthday parties.
One witness has released video footage of emergency responders inside of the bowling alley in the immediate aftermath of the Torrance shooting, which some readers may find distressing.
There is still no information on whoever opened fire in Gable House Bowl or if the shooting was carried out by a single suspect or a group of assailants.
Torrance Police has yet to respond to The Independent's request for information, but a reporter at the scene says officers have not yet established a motive for the shooting.
Suspects remain at large
Police now say the suspect, or suspects, in the Torrance shooting remain at large, according to the Reuters news agency.
Officers in the Los Angeles suburb have yet to establish how many gunmen were involved in the incident, which took place in the early hours of Saturday morning.
“Investigators are currently conducting a follow-up investigation, and are working to identify the suspect(s) involved,” the department said in a statement.
A woman, who has identified herself as the sister of one of the men shot at the bowling alley, has spoken to The Los Angeles Times.
Latrice Radford said she had been at the cinema when she noticed 25 missed calls on her phone. She said her brother, Michael Radford, had been shot.
“We immediately drove down and stopped by Harbor-UCLA Medical Center but we were told he wasn’t there,” she added.
Ms Radford told The Times she was still waiting for information on the condition of her brother, who had turned 20 last month
Damone Thomas had been in the karaoke section of Gable House Bowl, a regular stop for him and his friends after work on Fridays, when people began to run into the area saying there had been a shooting
The 30-year-old from Los Angeles said his friend flipped over one of the tables to shield them as they heard gunshots.
Mr Thomas said he didn't feel scared, instead concentrating on “just trying to survive”, but later realised the gravity of the incident on his drive back home.
“Closing my eyes, all I can see is the women against the wall crying, not knowing what to do,” he said.
Ted Lieu, US representative for California's 33rd congressional district, has paid tribute to the victims of the shooting in his hometown of Torrance.
New pictures from the scene show Gable House Bowl in Torrance has been cordoned off by police as officers conduct an investigation into the fatal shooting, which took place at the bowling alley in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Forensic investigators have also been seen scouring the parking lot outside the building in an attempt to uncover any evidence left behind after the shooting.
California senator Kamala Harris says her “heart breaks” for the victims of the Torrence shooting and their families.
She calls for more to be done to tackle gun violence in the US, adding “Americans should be able to go to a bowling alley and be safe.”
California shooting: What do we know so far?
Three people have been killed and four others injured after a shooting at a bowling alley in a Los Angeles suburb.
Witnesses reported a mass brawl broke out at Gable House Bowl in Torrance, around 25 miles south of downtown LA, in the early hours of Saturday morning, which resulted in a gunman opening fire inside the building.
Three men were pronounced dead at the scene, while two more were taken to hospital with injuries. Two further victims were struck by gunfire, but “opted to seek their own medical attention”, police said.
Investigators have told reporters they are keeping an open mind as to the motive of the shooting and are working to establish whether the attack was carried out by a single individual or a group.
Please allow a moment for the live stream to load
