Last Update: January 24, 2023, 23:20 IST
File photo: Police officers inspect the scene of the shooting at Benning Court Apartments (Image: NBCWashington)
Police in the city of Yakima say a man killed three people in an overnight unprovoked attack at a convenience store
A gunman was being sought Tuesday in the western US state of Washington after he shot and killed three people.
The attack comes after two mass shootings in California that left 18 dead and the United States again grappling with the horrors of rising gun violence.
Police in the city of Yakima say a man killed three people in an overnight unprovoked attack at a convenience store.
Yakima Police Chief Matthew Murray said, “It appears to be a random situation.”
“There was no apparent conflict between the parties. They just walked in and started shooting.”
Murray said authorities were examining surveillance footage from the area around the Circle store after the attack at 3:30 a.m. (1130 GMT).
“The first shooting took place inside the store. He then came outside the store and shot a victim outside the store and then went across the street and apparently shot another person.
“We have confirmation of three dead parties.”
Murray said the suspect then fled in a stolen car from a nearby gas station.
Police initially thought there was a fourth victim in that car, but later said they did not believe anyone else was hurt.
“This is a dangerous individual and it is random therefore a danger to the community,” he said.
“We have no motive, we don’t know why. We will do everything possible to locate and apprehend that person.”
Yakima, which is located 100 miles (160 km) southeast of Seattle, is a city of approximately 100,000 people.
The area is primarily agricultural, with fruit and hops being the main crops.
The shooting in Yakima is the latest incident of gun violence to shake the United States.
Seven people were killed on Monday at two agricultural sites south of San Francisco when a Chinese-American farm worker is believed to have opened fire on his colleagues.
Some of his victims are also believed to be Chinese.
On Saturday night, an elderly Asian man vandalized a dance studio in Monterey Park near Los Angeles, killing 11 people gathered for a Lunar New Year celebration.
Huệ Canh Tran shot himself several hours later as police entered his van.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)