Los Angeles: At least three people were found dead after a man dressed as Santa Claus started shooting at a Christmas Eve party in suburban Los Angeles, police said Thursday.
An 8-year-old girl and a woman in her 20s were hospitalised with gunshot wounds that authorities do not consider life-threatening.
Crews took a third person to a hospital with an injury that wasn't life-threatening and wasn't caused by gunfire, said police in Covina, a city about 20 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.
The shooting started around 2330 hrs (local time) on Wednesday.
When police arrived at the two-story house, they discovered a fire that caused "significant damage." Authorities found three people dead inside but said they do not know how the three died. Their identities had not been released Thursday morning.
"There was some source of ignition that caused the fire," Covina police Lt. Pat Buchanan said at a news conference Thursday morning. "We've not been able to identify it yet."
Covina police identified "a person of interest" in the assault as Bruce Jeffery Pardo, 45. Pardo was described 6 feet 3 inches and 250 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes.
Authorities said Pardo's name was given to them by people who were at the party.
Buchanan said Pardo was "going through some type of marital problems."
Police believe the residence where the shootings occurred belongs to one of Pardo's relatives, Buchanan said.
According to police, the gunman arrived at the party wearing a Santa Claus outfit but changed into regular street clothes before leaving. The gunman is considered armed and dangerous, Buchanan said.
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