SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA — A mass shooting at an unsanctioned event attended by hundreds left one person dead and six injured Saturday night in Santa Clara County, according to authorities.
"We will work tirelessly until those responsible for this horrific act are identified, apprehended, and held fully accountable," Santa Clara County Sheriff Robert Jonsen said in a news release.
Deputies responded around 10:15 p.m. to the area of Hale and Miramonte avenues near Morgan Hill after receiving reports of intoxicated people in the street and a person throwing bottles at cars, according to the sheriff's office.
They arrived to find a chaotic scene of over 300 partygoers fleeing after several gunshots were fired, authorities said. Multiple people were taken to local hospitals and one person was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the sheriff's office.
"This tragic and senseless violence is entirely unacceptable," Jonsen said in the news release.
Detectives believe the shooting was an isolated incident and preliminary information indicates the weapon was a handgun, according to the sheriff's office, which added that authorities expected the homicide investigation would be "lengthy and complex."
The event where the shooting occurred was an unsanctioned party promoted through social media, according to the sheriff's office.
The Morgan Hill Police Department, Gilroy Police Department, California Highway Patrol and San Jose Police Department assisted the sheriff's office in its response, authorities said.
Anyone with information or video of the incident is asked to call the sheriff's office's Investigative Services Division at 408-808-4431 or email SHF.SOTips@shf.sccgov.org.
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