It happened just after 1 a.m. on Sunday when police were called for an “active shooter” at or near a bar on East 5th Street in the Oregon District. Details about the circumstances are not yet known, but several witnesses said the shooter was a man who was armed with a rifle, BNO News reported.
According to initial reports, multiple people have been killed and others are seriously injured, but there’s no official word on the total number of victims. A video taken by a witness appeared to show at least two bodies on the street.
A large number of emergency services are at the scene while officers work to secure the area, which is close to a number of bars and restaurants. A suspect is believed to be “down,” but police have yet to confirm this.
“There was an active shooter in the bar I was in tonight,” said Daniel Williams, a former member of the band The Devil Wears Prada. “I am so incredibly heartbroken for those affected by this. I have never been so scared in my life.”
Hannah Ray, who was with Williams at the time of the shooting, said it was “the most terrible thing I’ve ever felt.”
“We heard gunshots while on the patio,” she said on Twitter. “Ran indoors only to be shoved back out because the shots were coming from inside the bar. We ran for our lives and hopped a fence trampling multiple people in the process.”