California police search for shooters who killed 6, hurt 12

Police Chief Kathy Lester revealed few details from the investigation 

The usual crowds filled the streets as bars and nightclubs were closing in California’s capital city of Sacramento when the sound of rapid-fire gunshots sent people running in terror. In a matter of seconds, the latest U.S. mass shooting had left six people dead and 12 wounded.

Sacramento police said they were searching for at least two people who opened fire around 2 a.m. Sunday on the outskirts of the city’s downtown entertainment district, anchored by the Golden One Arena that hosts concerts and the NBA’s Sacramento Kings, Qazet.az reports. The team’s home game against the Golden State Warriors went on as scheduled Sunday night and began with a moment of silence for the victims.

Police Chief Kathy Lester revealed few details from the investigation and pleaded with the public to share videos and other evidence that could lead to the killers.

“The scale of violence that just happened in our city is unprecedented during my 27 years here,” Lester told reporters during a news conference at police headquarters. “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 the families."

Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg and other city officials decried escalating violence in the city while also urging people to keep coming downtown for events like NBA games and performances of the Broadway musical “Wicked.”

“We can never accept it as normal and we never will,” Steinberg said of the shooting. “But we also have to live our lives."

The gunfire erupted just after a fight broke out on a street lined with an upscale hotel, nightclubs, and bars, but police said they did not know if the altercation was connected to the shooting. Video from witnesses posted on social media showed rapid gunfire for at least 45 seconds as people screamed and ran for cover.

The gunfire startled sleeping guests at the Citizen Hotel, which included a wedding party and fans of the rapper Tyler the Creator, who performed at a concert hours earlier.

From her window on the fourth floor of the hotel, 18-year-old Kelsey Schar said she saw a man running while firing a gun.

She could see flashes from the weapon in the darkness as people ran for cover.