The six people who died early Sunday in a mass shooting in downtown Sacramento were identified Monday as police asked for the public’s help in their ongoing search for multiple suspects and a motive.
Some of the chaos was captured on video, which appeared to show an altercation before gunfire erupted around 2am on Sunday. People were seen fleeing as gunfire rang out just outside the city’s main entertainment district, which was packed with bars.
SUNDAY REPORT:Police are looking for several suspects after a shooting that left 6 dead in Sacramento
Authorities have not offered a possible motive in what appears to be the largest mass shooting game in city history, according to the Sacramento Bee. The shooting comes a month after a man killed his three children, another person and himself at a Sacramento church.
“The scale of the violence that has just occurred in our city is unprecedented in my 27 years here at the Sacramento Police Department,” Police Chief Kathy Lester said at a news conference Sunday.
Here’s what we know on Monday:
How many people have been killed and injured? Who are the victims ?
On Monday, the coroner’s office identified the three men and three women who were killed in the mass shooting.
Those who died were: Johntaya Alexander, 21; Melinda Davis, 57; Yamile Martinez-Andrade, 21; Sergio Harris, 38; Joshua Hoye-Lucchesi, 32; and Devazia Turner, 29, according to Sacramento County Coroner’s Office records.
Twelve other people were being treated at nearby hospitals, Lester said. At least four of the injured were hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. UC Davis Medical Center spokeswoman Stephanie Winn said Monday that two patients were discharged overnight.
Devazia Turner’s father, Frankr, told The Bee his son went to the London nightclub, which is close to the shooting. Turner said he was with his cousin, Sergio Harris, when the shooting broke out. Both were killed.
“He was just going out to have fun with his friends,” Turner told Fox40. “There’s just nothing to say. I’m right here. I’m grief, that’s all – grief.”
Kay Harris, Sergio’s sister, also told The Associated Press that she believed her brother had been in London.
“My son was a very lively young man,” his mother, Pamela, told KCRA 3. Right now I don’t know what to do. I don’t even feel like it’s real. I feel like it’s a dream.
Some of the injured were taken by ambulance to hospitals, while others left alone or were taken by friends, Lester said. No information was provided on their terms.
How many suspects are there?
Lester said there were several suspects but no arrests were made.
The investigation continued on Monday after officials reopened the block of eight near the Golden One Center – where the NBA’s Sacramento Kings play. Lester said the crime scene was “very complex and complicated” and police located “hundreds of pieces of evidence”, including a stolen handgun.
Lester did not specify what type of weapon was used and said officials did not know if the victims were targeted.
What happened during filming?
Downtown was packed with bars at the time and a big fight broke out just before the shooting, Lester said on Sunday.
Jaron Moore, a security guard at a club near the scene, told The Record, which is part of the USA TODAY Network, that he was leaving work around 2 a.m. when he heard gunshots.
“It’s sad to know that this happened…I’m still in shock,” he said.
Asa Pickett, who was at the Dive Bar on Saturday evening, said he heard around 100 shots. He and his friends saw people passing each other, and his group found an area in a nearby alley where they hid for about 45 minutes.
“We came out and there were bodies on the ground,” he said. “I was just hoping my friends were okay…everyone was okay.”
A video posted to Twitter showed people running down the street with the sound of gunfire in the background.
Police arrived at the scene around 2am on Sunday and found bodies on the street amidst a large crowd. Several ambulances and other first responders were on the scene.
City Hall was set up as an information center for family members on Sunday, and police set up an online portal for the public to upload evidence.
What have the politicians said?
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg in a series of tweets called gun violence “a blight on our city, our state, and our nation.” He said Police Chief Lester, who took office two weeks ago, has made gun violence a top priority.
“Words cannot express my shock and sadness this morning,” Steinberg tweeted. “The number of dead and injured is difficult to assess.
California Governor Gavin Newsom released a statement offering condolences to the victims of “yet another horrific act of gun violence”. He said his office was monitoring reports from the scene.
President Joe Biden called on Congress to pass gun control measures and thanked first responders during the shooting.
“Today, America once again mourns another community devastated by gun violence,” Biden said in a statement. “But we have to do more than cry, we have to act.”
Contributor: Angelaydet Rocha, The Record; The Associated Press
Contact Breaking News Reporter N’dea Yancey-Bragg at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @NdeaYanceyBragg
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