At least four people, including the gunman, were killed and six others wounded when a suspect opened fire at a popular Southern California biker bar Wednesday evening as a crowd gathered for a rock concert and spaghetti night, authorities said. The shooting happened around 7:30 p.m. in Cook’s Corners, a rural community in Trabuco Canyon in eastern Orange County, the county sheriff’s office said. Said in XFormerly known as Twitter.
The injured were taken to Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, California. Two of the patients are in critical condition and four are stable, the hospital said.
No other details were available late Wednesday, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office could not immediately be reached for comment. A law enforcement official, who was not authorized to speak publicly because the investigation is ongoing, said the suspected gunman was a retired law enforcement officer from Southern California who was targeting his estranged wife.
The wooden bar has been a popular stop for motorcyclists in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains since the 1970s. Its clients include gang members, retirees and law enforcement officers. Actor and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has been a patron, and in 2006 arrived at Cook’s Corner by motorcycle to host a reception.
The brewery, which is spread over 12 acres of land, has also hosted weddings, charity events and funerals.
In 2008, the bar served as a home base for exhausted firefighters as fires raged in nearby valleys. For about 10 days, they occupied the building, packing it with their gear and clothes, holding meetings and eating meals. Outside, they slept on the ground or on surrounding picnic tables.
“When the canyon burned, the firefighters came to work, and they put benches and everything in here, so we opened it up,” bar manager Rhonda Palmeri said recently. Interview.
Wednesday is typical of the bar Spaghetti night, featuring pasta, salad and garlic bread. An Orange County rock band, M Street, is scheduled to take the stage after happy hour at 6:30 p.m. Posted a video On stage – keyboard, drums, electric guitar – in the evening.
In May 2022, a gunman opened fire at a church about 14 miles away in Laguna Woods, California, killing one person and wounding five others.
“It’s heartbreaking to hear of another senseless shooting, this time in our own backyard,” said Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley. Said in X. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Wednesday.
State Senator Dave Min of Orange County made a similar point In a statement Sent to X.
“I am devastated by the news of another mass shooting,” he said. “Our county is one of the safest in the country, and yet we’ve been repeatedly hit by the scourge of mass shootings.”
Corinna Knoll Contributed report.
