'Multiple victims' in shooting near Los Angeles: police

Police in California on Saturday said they were responding to shooting with "multiple victims" at a bowling alley near Los Angeles.

In a tweet posted shortly after midnight, the Torrance Police Department said there were "reports of shots fired with multiple victims down." 

"T P D is on the scene. The investigation is ongoing. Please stay away from the area," it added.

The Los Angeles Times reported the shooting took place at Gable House Bowl, a gaming complex.

A witness told the newspaper there had been a "big fight" prior to the shooting. Torrance, a coastal city, is located around 20 miles (32 kilometres) southeast of downtown Los Angeles in the South Bay region.

According to health authorities, nearly 40,000 people died in the United States as a result of firearms in 2017 -- a figure that includes suicides. The United States has been debating about gun laws and the rights of gun owners, considering the rise of gun violence in the country. 

Research by Pew found that 1/3rd of the population over 50s owned a gun, and the rate of gun ownership is lower among young adults. The study also determines that especially white men are likely to own a gun?