Update: 3 killed, 4 hurt in California shooting

Three men were killed and four wounded in a shooting at a bowling alley in the Los Angeles suburb of Torrance and police said on Saturday they were searching for a suspect or suspects.

The incident followed a fight at the Gable House Bowl, a bowling alley and arcade that also offers laser tag, according to local media.

The Torrance Police Department said officers responded to a shot-fired call at the location found multiple gunshot victims. Two men were taken to hospital, two opted to seek their own medical attention, and three were pronounced dead at the scene.

“Investigators are currently conducting a follow-up investigation, and are working to identify the suspect(s) involved,” the department said in a statement.

Customers described a fight before the gunshots rang out.

“We just ran into the bar and we just took cover because after the fight we heard ‘pop! pop!’” Gable House Bowl patron Jesus Perez told the Los Angeles Times.

Torrance is about 25 miles (40 km) south of Los Angeles.

Earlier report

Police in California on Saturday said they were responding to a shooting with "multiple victims" at a bowling alley near Los Angeles.

In a tweet posted shortly after midnight, the Torrance Police Department said there were "reports of shots fired with multiple victims down."

"T P D is on scene. Investigation is ongoing. Please stay away from the area," it added.

The Los Angeles Times reported the shooting took place at Gable House Bowl, a gaming complex.

A witness told the newspaper there had been a "big fight" prior to the shooting.

Torrance, a coastal city, is located around 20 miles (32 kilometers) southeast of downtown Los Angeles in the South Bay region.

According to health authorities, nearly 40,000 people died in the United States as a result of firearms in 2017 - a figure that includes suicides.