Three killed, three injured in Illinois shooting

WASHINGTON - Three people were killed and another three injured Saturday in the US state of Illinois when a shooter opened fire at a bowling alley, police said.

Rockford city police urged people on Twitter to stay away from the area near the Don Carter Lanes bowling alley, as it was an "active situation" and officers were clearing the site.

"It's still an ongoing investigation. We do have three individuals that are confirmed deceased," police chief Dan O'Shea said in a press conference outside the building.

He said three other people had been injured from the gunfire and were being treated at local hospitals.

"We have a person of interest in custody. That's pretty much where we're at," O'Shea said, without specifying if the shooter had a motive.

Don Carter Lanes posted a simple message on Facebook after the shooting asking people to "pray please."

Shootings are a frequent occurrence in the United States, but despite the scale of the gun violence efforts to address it legislatively have long been deadlocked at the federal level.

AFP