Four killed, including suspect, in mass shooting at California biker bar

Four people were killed, including the suspect, and six others were injured in a shooting Wednesday evening at a biker bar in Trabuco Canyon, Calif., according to local police.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department said deputies responded to reports of a shooting shortly after 7 p.m. at Cook’s Corner, a popular spot for motorcycle riders.

Once at the scene, deputies confronted the armed suspect before engaging in gunfire and killing him, police said. At least one weapon was recovered at the scene, authorities added.

Orange County Sheriff’s Sgt. Frank Gonzalez said the gunman was killed four minutes after the first report of the shooting, and authorities were on the scene within two minutes, according to The Associated Press.

Both the gunman and three victims were pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The identities of those victims are being withheld until next of kin is notified.

Six people were transported to Providence Mission Center in Mission Viejo, Calif., Providence hospital confirmed in a statement obtained by KTLA. 

Five of those patients had gunshot-related wounds, Orange County Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy said in a press briefing. Both the hospital and Fennessy confirmed two of those individuals are in critical condition while the other four are in stable condition.

Ventura Police Department Cmdr. Mike Brown told the Ventura County Star that he was informed by Orange County authorities that the gunman was a retired police officer who worked at the department from 1986-2014.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said Wednesday in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that it was monitoring the shooting “and coordinating with local officials as more details become available.”

Authorities did not disclose the circumstances leading up to the shooting and said a motive for the shooting was unknown.

Police said the investigation is ongoing and information will be released as it becomes available.

Updated Aug. 24 at 12:44 p.m. ET