SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTXL) — A mass shooting in downtown Sacramento has killed six people and injured 12 others.
The community is still coming to grips with the shooting that has rocked Sacramento to its core.
Investigators are turning to the community for video or information that might shed light on what led up to six people being shot to death on the street outside an area full of bars and restaurants.
“This morning our community has a broken heart,” said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg. “This is a senseless and unacceptable tragedy.”
Community leaders are in disbelief. One Sacramento City Council member broke down into tears, distraught to hear about what happened in her district.
“Our community deserves better than this,” said Council Member Katie Valenzuela. “I’m heartbroken, and I’m outraged.”
Sacramento police said they were patrolling the area when they heard shots being fired in the area of 10th and K streets around 2 a.m. They arrived to find a large crowd and at least 12 people shot.
“The idea that people can have ready access to assault weapons, to weapons of destruction, and can indiscriminately use them however and wherever they want, that is not just an exception, it happens far too often. It is a sickness in our culture, and we must do everything we can to heal that sickness,” Steinberg said.
Authorities said they attempted life-saving measures, but six people died. A woman who identified herself as Pamela struggled to hold back tears saying her son, Sergio Harris was one of the people killed and has waited hours for information.
“This is awful, I don’t understand it. I thought we would know something by now. This is too much,” Pamela said.
Authorities said video on social media points to a fight that happened before shots rang out. They are working to see if that fight is in any way tied to the shooting. Keith Avila was sound asleep along with his young son when he heard gunshots. He captured the chaotic scene outside his window on video.
“(Voices, gunshot sounds) but it echoes, kind of sounds like thunder because I had just woken up. I’m just getting up half alert. I look outside that’s when I see the people running around, police officers coming in. police officers with guns,” Avila said.
Investigators said they have found at least one firearm at the scene.
People in the area are contributing to a growing memorial marking the spot. One of the family members FOX40 spoke with pleaded for the public’s help in providing information that could track down who did this.
“Enough is enough. Enough is enough. And I will travel anywhere I need to travel and talk to whoever I need to talk to get these guns off these streets and get the youth what they need so they can be successful and that they don’t get shot down on K Street when they’re trying to have a good time. I know this is a national epidemic. This is not unique to Sacramento. But we can stop it here. We can stop it here,” Valenzuela said.
Community leaders said the most important thing right now is for anyone who saw something to please come forward.
