Three dead in random shooting in state of Washington following back-to-back shootings in California

The US has been rocked by another shooting after 18 people were gunned down in back-to-back shootings in California.

A gunman who shot dead three people in what police say was a random attack was being hunted in the western US state of Washington.

The attack came on the heels of two mass shootings in California that have left 18 people dead, prompting US President Joe Biden to renew calls for Congress to act quickly on an assault weapons ban.

A group of senators on Monday reintroduced a federal assault weapons ban and legislation that would raise the minimum purchase age for assault weapons to 21.

In the latest incident police in the city of Yakima, a city 160km southeast of Seattle, say a man killed three people at a convenience store overnight in an apparently unprovoked attack.

“It appears to be a random situation,” Yakima Police Chief Matthew Murray said.

“There was no apparent conflict between the parties. They just walked in and started shooting.”

The suspect sought by police in a shooting that left three people dead in the state of Washington. Picture: Yakima Police Department / AFP

Chief Murray said officers were examining surveillance footage from the area around the Circle K store after the attack at 3.30am Tuesday local time.

The first shooting was inside the store. Then he came outside the store and shot a victim outside the store and then went across the street and apparently shot one more person.

“We have three confirmed deceased parties.”

The suspect, named as 21-year-old local Jarid Haddock, then made off in a stolen car from a nearby gas station, Chief Murray said.

Police initially believed a fourth victim was in that car, but later said they did not think any other people had been hurt.

“This is a dangerous person and it’s random so there is a danger to the community,” he said.

“We don’t have a motive, we don’t know why. We will do everything we can to locate and apprehend that person.”

The police department urged anyone who saw Haddock to dial 911 immediately.

“Do not approach. The suspect is considered armed and dangerous,” a tweet said.

Yakima is a city of around 100,000 people.

The region is largely agricultural, with fruit and hops the main crops.

18 DEAD IN BACK-TO-BACK MASS SHOOTINGS

The shooting in Yakima is the latest spasm of gun violence to shake the United States.

On Monday, a Chinese-American farm worker opened fire on his colleagues in California killing seven and leaving one critical, less than 48 hours after 11 people were killed at a Lunar New Year event in Los Angeles also by an older Asian male.

According to US media reports, the mass shooting happened at a mushroom farm and another at a trucking business in California’s Half Moon Bay on Monday local time (Tuesday AEDT).

Sheriff Christina Corpus said the suspect, 67-year-old Half Moon Bay resident Zhao Chunli turned himself into authorities.

Officers take a man identified as Zhao Chunli into custody after he drove to a sheriff's office media staging area following multiple shootings in Half Moon Bay that left at least seven people dead. Picture: ABC affiliate KGO

NBC Bay Area cited a Half Moon Bay city councilwoman saying the victims are Chinese farm workers.

San Mateo County Board of Supervisors President Dave Pine said Chunli worked for one of the businesses and described him as a “disgruntled worker”.

“We are sickened by today’s tragedy in Half Moon Bay. The scourge of gun violence has sadly hit home,” he said in a statement.

Zhao Chunli has been identified as the alleged gunman in a pair of shootings that left seven people dead in Half Moon Bay on Monday.

“We have not even had time to grieve for those lost in the terrible shooting in Monterey Park. Gun violence must stop. The State of California has among the strictest gun laws in the United States, which we have strengthened through local action here, but more must be done. The status quo cannot be tolerated.”

Officers take a man identified as Zhao Chunli into custody following multiple shootings in Half Moon Bay that left at least seven people dead. Picture: ABC affiliate KGO

Dramatic footage showed an Asian man wearing a red fleece and blue jeans being pulled to the ground by armed officers.

“Zhao was taken into custody without incident and a semiautomatic handgun was located in his vehicle,” Sheriff Corpus said.

Officers take a man identified as Zhao Chunli into custody after he drove to a sheriff's office media staging area following multiple shootings in Half Moon Bay that left at least seven people dead. Picture: CBS

The motive for the shootings was not yet known, Sheriff Corpus said, but it had taken place in a rural location with families around.

“It’s spread out. There’s people that live at the location as well … it was in the afternoon when kids were out of school and for children to witnesses it is unspeakable,” she said.

China’s foreign ministry called for its citizens in the United States to “pay close attention to the local security situation” and “avoid going to places where people gather” in the wake of the California killings.

Investigators were still probing the motives behind the two incidents, which stood out among the scourge of mass shootings in America both for the community impacted – gun violence is usually seen as rare among Asians and Asian Americans – and for the age of the suspects, 67 and 72.

– with AFP