Two people were killed and two others injured in a shooting near a California beach early Monday, authorities said.
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said deputies, California State Parks personnel and California Highway Patrol officers responded to reports of gunfire along Jetty Road in Moss Landing just before 2 a.m.
Deputies found two people who were pronounced dead at the scene, the sheriff’s office said.
A third person who had been shot arrived at a local hospital. That person’s condition was unknown.
A fourth person was taken from the scene to a hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening, authorities said.
The identities of the two people killed were being withheld pending forensic examinations and notification of their families.
“This is a tragic incident that has resulted in the loss of two lives,” Monterey County Sheriff Tina M. Nieto said in a statement.
“Our detectives are working to establish the circumstances surrounding what occurred. We ask anyone who may have information, regardless of how insignificant it may seem, to come forward and assist with this investigation.”
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California State Parks Police closed Jetty Road and Moss Landing State Beach at the request of the sheriff’s office as the investigation continued.
“There is no active threat to the Moss Landing Community at this time,” the sheriff’s office said.
Authorities have not said what led to the shooting.
“This remains an active investigation and additional information will be released as it becomes available,” the sheriff’s office said.
State Sen. John Laird called the shooting an “unspeakable horror” and offered his condolences to those affected.
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“Over the weekend, there were numerous reports of shooting deaths across the country. This unspeakable horror has also hit home on the Central Coast, with reports of multiple fatalities just after midnight today in Moss Landing,” Laird said in a statement.
“The pain and suffering of all those impacted is impossible to measure and my heart goes out to everyone. Thank you to the Monterey County Sheriff and team for its management of this devastating situation.”
The Monterey County Sheriff’s office could not immediately be reached for comment.
