10 killed after shooting in Southern California

LOS ANGELES -- Ten people were killed and at least 10 wounded in a mass shooting in Monterey Park in Southern California on Saturday night, said local police.

The shooter used a fire arm at a dance studio, Captain Andrew Meyer of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department told press.

The suspect still remains at large, he said, adding that the wounded had been transported to several local hospitals.

An investigation is under way on the motives of the shooter, he said.

The shooter was carrying a long gun and appeared to fire indiscriminately, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing witnesses.

The shooting occurred near the site of a Chinese Lunar New Year celebration. Tens of thousands of people gathered on Saturday for the start of Chinese Lunar New Year festivities, one of the largest events in the region.

The festivities scheduled for Sunday have been cancelled after the shooting, police told press.

Videos on social media showed police and fire units swarming an area on Garvey Avenue in Monterey Park and victims being treated.

Edwin Chen, a local resident who grew up in the area, drove from Woodland Hills to Monterey Park after hearing about the shooting.

He told Xinhua that he was saddened by this tragedy, as the community was celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year.

Monterey Park, a city of 61,000 residents in the San Gabriel Valley, has a majority Asian American population.