THE POLICE CHIEF in the Californian city of Fresno has said that three people have been killed in a shooting in the downtown area of the city.
Chief Jerry Dyer told reporters that a suspect was in custody, after the shooting near a Catholic charities building in the city.
The suspect, identified as 39-year-old Kori Ali Muhammad, allegedly told police that he “hates white people” and is said to have shouted “allahu akbar” before he started shooting.
Dyer told reporters that the three people were shot minutes apart in close proximity in areas around the downtown area of Fresno.
The suspect was wanted for a separate killing from last week, in which a motel security guard was shot dead.
Dyer was quoted as saying that it “was too early to say whether or not this involves terrorism”.
Police said the shootings, which took place at four different locations in the downtown area of the city, were unprovoked and that up to 16 rounds were fired during the hour-long rampage.
Muhammad faces four counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder, authorities said.
Following the shooting, Fresno city spokesman Mark Standriff said county offices were placed on lockdown, and people were urged to shelter in place.
With reporting from the Associated Press and AFP
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say