Man charged after US restaurant killing spree

Eight people leaving a party at a US restaurant were shot, four of them fatally, including a man returning to his hometown to celebrate his first wedding anniversary, police said.

Managers decided to close the City Grill in Buffalo's business district after an altercation inside.

The victims were leaving at about 2.30am when a man who had been inside began shooting, police said.

"There were verbal things going on. Management apparently chose to close down and have everybody leave the restaurant," Chief of Detectives Dennis Richards said. "People were leaving when this shooting happened."

Keith Johnson, 25, of Buffalo was charged with four counts of second-degree murder and could face more charges.

Police did not know whether Johnson was involved in the earlier altercation and asked witnesses to speak up.

The group was attending a party in advance of a more formal anniversary celebration scheduled for later, authorities said.

The couple, Danyell Mackin, 30, and his wife, Tanisha, married in Texas a year ago and returned to celebrate with Buffalo-area friends and family, authorities said. Tanisha Mackin was not hurt.

"An occasion that should have been a joyous one, a happy one, turned tragic," Mayor Byron Brown said near the restaurant, a popular stop for office workers during the week and people attending theatre and sporting events at night.

The Mackins were friends since they were 13 and started dating in 2001, according to a website created to commemorate their marriage and provide details about the celebration.

The couple have a six-year-old son, Danyell Jr, and a seven-month-old daughter who was scheduled to be christened today, the website said.

One man remained in critical condition, police spokesman Michael DeGeorge said. Two more men were in stable condition. And another man who was shot in the elbow, was in good condition.