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5 years ago

Three die in shooting at California festival

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At least three people were killed and several injured in a shooting at a food festival, an annual three-day event south of San Jose in California, on Sunday.

Police and ambulances raced to the shooting spot, and a video posted on social media showing people at the event running for cover as shots rang out.

A local city councilman, Dion Bracco, said that three people were killed and 12 injured in the shooting on the last day of the Gilroy Garlic Festival.

One suspect was in custody, Bracco said.

“They don’t know if there were more, so they have to treat it as an active situation,” he said. “We have police out here from as far away as San Jose.”

NBC Bay Area had reported that ambulance crews were told 11 people were “down” after the shooting, reports Reuters.

Local hospital officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Aerial footage showed the festival grounds apparently deserted but with many emergency and police vehicles on surrounding streets and police in bullet-proof gear.

“Be careful and safe!” US President Donald Trump wrote on Twitter.

Footage uploaded to social media appeared to show festival attendees scattering in fear and confusion as loud popping sounds could be heard in the background.

 “What’s going on?” a woman can be heard asking on one video. “Who’d shoot up a garlic festival?”

California Governor Gavin Newsom said his office was monitoring the situation closely. “This is nothing short of horrific,” Newsom wrote on Twitter.

Founded in 1979, the Gilroy Garlic Festival features food, drink, live entertainment and cooking competitions. It says it is hosted by volunteers and describes itself as the world’s greatest summer food festival.

It was being held at the outdoor Christmas Hill Park, where weapons of any kind are prohibited, according to the event’s website.

To provide a safe, family-friendly atmosphere, it said, entry was refused to anyone wearing clothing or paraphernalia indicating membership in a gang, including a motorcycle club.

Festival officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Gilroy is about 30 miles (48 km) southeast of San Jose.

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