FRESNO, Calif. _ "Several individuals" were killed and at least nine people wounded Sunday night in what police described as a "mass casualty shooting," the Fresno Police Department has confirmed.
The exact number of dead wasn't immediately clear, but Lt. Bill Dooley told The Fresno Bee at least nine people had been shot in the backyard of a southeast Fresno home on the 5300 block of East Lamona Avenue near Caesar Avenue. Dooley said it was a "mass casualty" incident" with "several" people dead.
"Officers arrived on scene _ what we found were several individuals deceased in the backyard," Dooley said. "We do have multiple shooting victims. We're not releasing the total number yet."
No information on the shooter or shooters was immediately available. Dooley said "unknown suspects" "snuck" into the backyard and opened fire before 6 p.m. then fled the scene. Police declined to comment on a getaway vehicle.
"What we do know is that this was a gathering, a family-and-friend gathering in the backyard," he said. "Everyone was watching football this evening when unknown suspects approached the residence, snuck into the backyard and opened fire."
Dooley said victims were rushed to Community Regional Medical Center in conditions ranging from "critical" to "critical but stable."
Multiple neighbors, who declined to be identified for safety reasons, said they heard multiple gunshots.
