A six-year-old boy was one of three people killed in a mass shooting at one of the biggest food festivals in the United States.
Stephen Romero was attending the Gilroy Garlic Festival with his mother and other family members when the rampage began on Sunday afternoon.
His mum and grandmother were injured in the attack as thousands of revellers ran for their lives.
Stephen was the first victim to be identified after the gunman - who witnesses say was armed with a semi-automatic rifle and was wearing military fatigues - by police in Gilroy, California.
Stephen's devastated dad Alberto Romero told NBC News: “My son had his whole life to live. He was only six.”
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Mr Romero, who was at home with his nine-year-old daughter while his wife and son attended the festival, added: "Hopefully they get the shooters.
"I lost my son. There’s nothing i really can do besides try to be with him until I can put him in his resting spot.
"I don’t know what to say."
Stephen's mum was shot in the hand and his grandmother was shot in the leg.
It is believed the gunman cut through a fence to gain access to the annual food festival and avoid security at the entrances.
The gunman may have had an accomplice, and that person's role in the shooting is unclear, said Gilroy Police Chief Scot Smithee.
Mr Smithee said three people were killed and 15 were injured.
Some of them suffered gunshot wounds, and it's possible others were injured in the stampede.
The shooting happened close to food tents and a children's play area.
The police chief told reporters: "It's just incredibly sad and disheartening that at an event that does so much good the community had to suffer from a tragedy like this."
Gunfire erupted on the final day of the busy three-day festival in Gilroy, near San Jose in northern California, at about 5.40pm local time.
Mr Smithee said armed officers "engaged" the shooter in less than a minute, shooting and killing him.
Some witnesses claimed a second gunman was seen at the site.
Officers were still looking for a potential second suspect on Monday.
A reunification centre was set up to help families who were split up as the chaotic and harrowing scene unfolded.
Six-year-old Stephen, from San Jose, and his mother were caught up in the shooting and were unable to flee.
The youngster was shot dead and his mother was hospitalised after being shot in the stomach and hand.
His grandmother was also wounded.
Witnesses reported hearing gunfire and seeing a white man - armed with a rifle and wearing military fatigues - spraying bullets into the crowd.
A witness told NBC News: "He was walking like a police officer. Like he wanted to get stuff done."
Another witness said he felt a bullet pass by his head and when he turned around he saw everyone running.
Distressing video shows festivalgoers trying to flee the active shooter. Other clips show bloodied victims on the floor.
In one video, a woman asks: "Who'd shoot up a garlic festival?"
Terrified festivalgoers, including two injured women, hid inside a refrigerated truck. Others hid under the stage where a band had been playing an encore.
Evenny Reyes, 13, told the San Jose Mercury News: "We were just leaving and we saw a guy with a bandana wrapped around his leg because he got shot.
"There was a little kid hurt on the ground. People were throwing tables and cutting fences to get out."
Last year's Garlic Festival was attended by 80,000 people.
