Ten dead in Lunar New Year shooting in California, police on lookout for male suspect

Ten people have died and at least 10 others were wounded in a mass shooting at a dance club in a largely Asian city in southern California, police said Sunday, with the suspect still at large hours later.

The gunman opened fire as the local community were celebrating Lunar New Year at the venue in Monterey Park, with witnesses saying he shot indiscriminately with a semiautomatic weapon.

Captain Andrew Meyer of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said officers had responded to emergency calls around 10:20pm on Saturday (6:20 Sunday GMT) and found people pouring out of the premises.

"The officers made entry to the location and located additional victims," he said.

"The Monterey Park Fire Department responded to the scene and treated the injured and pronounced 10 of the victims deceased at the scene.

"There are at least 10 additional victims that were transported to numerous local hospitals and are listed in various conditions from stable to critical.

"The suspect fled the scene and remains outstanding."

Police gave no description of the wanted man, and did not say what kind of gun he used.