California shooting - as it happened: Manhunt launched for at least one gunman after three people killed in bowling alley

Witness describes ‘complete chaos’ as shots fired following huge brawl in city of Torrance

Emergency services tend to victims outside Torrance bowling alley after shooting

Three people were killed and four others injured in a shooting at a bowling alley in California shortly after midnight on Saturday.

The Torrance Police Department said it had responded to “reports of shots fired with multiple victims down” at Gable House Bowl, around 25 miles south of downtown Los Angeles.

Officers announced more than two hours later that at least three men had died at the scene, while four other male victims had been injured.

Two of the injured men were taken to a local hospital to receive treatment for unknown injuries, while two more sought out their own medical attention.

Authorities have not yet identified the victims or suspects, or released details about what led to the shooting, but witnesses said it had been sparked by a mass brawl.

Gable House Bowl in Torrance (Reuters)

Wes Hamad, a 29-year-old Torrance resident who was at the bowling alley with his 13-year-old niece and cousin, said he saw a “huge fight” break out prior to the shooting. Mr Hamad said the brawl developed into “complete chaos” in the space of around five minutes, blocking the entrance of Gable House Bowl.

He said: “I grabbed my niece and started running toward the far end of the bowling alley. As we were running, we heard 15 shots.”

Dwayne Edwards, 60, of Los Angeles, said he received a call from his nephew that his 28-year-old son Astin Edwards was one of those killed. His nephew told him his son was attempting to break up a fight when a gunman “just started unloading”.

Mr Edwards said: “I’m thinking this is a dream and I’ll wake up. He was a good kid. I don’t understand it.”

Investigators said they are working to establish whether shots were fired by a single gunman or a group.

This is how the incident unfolded.

Please allow a moment for the live stream to load

Key Points

• Three people killed and four others injured in Torrance shooting
• Police hunting at least one suspect in connection with incident
• Witnesses describe mass brawl at bowling alley prior to gunfire

[5 January 2019 09:25 · Tom Barnes]

Several people are thought to have been shot in California after a gunman opened fire at a bowling alley. The Independent will be providing live updates of the situation as news comes in.

[5 January 2019 09:31 · Tom Barnes]

Police officers in the city of Torrance around 25 miles south of Los Angeles have announced on Twitter they are dealing with a shooting in which multiple people have been injured.

There is currently no further information on the condition of the victims or any indications of exactly how many people may have been hurt. 

[5 January 2019 09:38 · Tom Barnes]

(pic: Google)The gunman is understood to have opened fire inside the Gable House bowling alley in Torrance. Gable House is described on its website as a gaming venue that offers bowling, laser tag and a full arcade. 

[5 January 2019 09:48 · Tom Barnes]

Jesus Perez, an eyewitness who was inside the bowling alley at the time of the shooting, has spoken to The Los Angeles Times at the scene.

“We just ran right into the bar and took cover. All we heard was just, like two people got shot,” he said.

“We heard there was a big fight before that. We just ran into the bar and we just took cover because after the fight we heard pop pop.”

He added he had heard roughly four gunshots and took cover for around 15 minutes before being escorted out of the building by a security guard.

[5 January 2019 10:19 · Tom Barnes]

Video from the scene shows what appears to be devastated friends or relatives outside the bowling alley in the aftermath of the shooting.

[5 January 2019 10:28 · Tom Barnes]

A second witness has spoken to The Los Angeles Times. Refusing to give his name, he has also said he saw a fight break out before a string of several gunshots were heard.

“There was a fight and then we heard nine gunshots,” he said.

[5 January 2019 10:35 · Tom Barnes]

Breaking

Three people have been killed and a further four injured in the shooting, the Associated Press has reported.

[5 January 2019 10:52 · Tom Barnes]

Police have now announced three people have died during the shooting at a bowling alley in southern California early on Saturday morning.

All three of those who have been killed are understood to be male, as are a further four victims who were injured by the gunman.

Two of the injured men have been transported to a local hospital for treatment on currently unknown injuries, while two more are said to have sought out their own medical attention.

[5 January 2019 11:03 · Tom Barnes]

More footage is emerging from the scene of the attack, where emergency services have now been seen tending to victims.

[5 January 2019 11:19 · Tom Barnes]

Wes Hamad, a 29-year-old Torrance resident who was at the bowling alley with his 13-year-old niece and cousin, said he saw a “huge fight” break out prior to the shooting. 

Mr Hamad said the brawl developed into “complete chaos” in the space of around five minutes, blocking the entrance of Gable House Bowl.

“I grabbed my niece and started running towards the far end of the bowling alley,” he said. “As we were running, we heard 15 shots.”

As he was leaving, Mr Hamad said he saw a woman weeping over a man who been shot multiple times in the head and neck.