Gilroy shooting - live: Police hunt for second suspect as gunman kills three at California garlic festival
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A gunman has opened fire on the popular Gilroy Garlic Festival in California, killing at least three people and injuring around a dozen others, before being shot dead by police.
Witnesses described scenes of panic and chaos as a man carrying what appeared to be an assault rifle targeted festival-goers in a food area.
Gilroy's police chief says the suspect cut through a fence to access the festival and that a second suspect may have assisted him. A manhunt is underway for the second suspect, he said.
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Natalie Martinez, a Gilroy Resident, told the Mercury News that she had gone to get food and was separated from her two daughters at the time of the shooting.
"I ran to find the girls . and we basically ran into each other,” she said. "I thought, We're open prey. It was awful."
Police believe a second person was involved in the shooting and have launched a manhunt, the Gilroy police chief said.
One witness, Tony Porrovecchio, told the Mercury News he was walking past the Vineyard stage where a crowd gathered to watch the last performance when he saw a man in green walk towards the crowd.
“At first I thought some idiot was setting off fireworks, but then we saw him,” he said. “Once he locked in on us, I ran.”
Mark Mendoza, 16, told the paper he was eating at some picnic tables with his family when the shooting started. He said the shooter was wearing a tactical vest, camouflage trousers and a hat.
“There were a lot of kids, the shooter was next to a kid’s play area,” he said
Police audio from the shooting has been released by the Mercury News.
“I’m in the area and it sounds like there is an active shooter in the park,” one police officer can be heard saying. “People are running towards the exits.”
Donna Carlson told AP she was was helping a friend at a jewelry booth when "all of a sudden it was pop, pop, pop".
"And I said, 'I sure hope that's fireworks.' "
She got on her hands and knees and hid behind a table until police told her it was safe to leave.
Mark Mendoza, 16, said his 12-year-old cousin was shot in the leg at the Gilroy Garlic Festival.
“I saw an active shooter just spraying down everybody,” he said.
He added: “I think he had an automatic weapon.”
“A lot of our family was there… he had the intent to kill.”
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