Two people were shot and killed at Moss Landing State Beach in Monterey County early Monday morning and two others were injured.
The circumstances around the shooting were being investigated by the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office Monday, along with California State Parks police. Spokespeople for the agencies provided few details about the shooting in a press briefing Monday afternoon near the scene on Jetty Road, which leads to the beach.
Jetty Road and Moss Landing State Beach were closed to the public on Monday.
Monterey County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Commander Andres Rosas said the Sheriff’s Office was not yet ready to declare the deaths homicides and said there were several unknown elements to the case as of Monday afternoon, including a potential motive or identity of a suspect.
Monterey County sheriff’s deputies, California Highway Patrol officers, and State Park rangers responded to a person’s report of hearing gunshots at about 2 a.m. The Sheriff’s Office had earlier said the shooting happened just after midnight.
Two people were found dead at the scene with injuries that Rosas at first declined to describe. When pressed by reporters, he confirmed the two died from gunshot injuries.
A third victim was found at the scene and was brought to the hospital with injuries that Rosas again declined to elaborate on, but characterized the injuries as not-life-threatening.
A fourth victim arrived at the hospital on their own while the response was underway. Rosas said he was unsure about the nature of their injuries or their status as of Monday afternoon.
Police investigate scene of possible party
Chief Ranger Mike Dippel said the beach closes at sundown, but a gate that would keep vehicles from entering the area is frequently left open because there are not enough staff to open it early in the morning.
A nearby scene at the beach that appeared to have been a party was being investigated by the Sheriff’s Office, which is leading the case at the request of State Parks, but Rosas said it was unknown if the crime scene was connected to the site of the party.
He said there was no active shooter in the area when law enforcement arrived, leading the Sheriff’s Office to declare there was no ongoing threat to the community.
Assemblymember Dawn Addis, D-Morro Bay, who represents the area, said she was in contact with the Sheriff’s Office and thanked them for their response.
“My heart is with those who are affected by this heinous violence,” Addis said in a statement. “We must continue to work to end gun violence, and I am committed to doing so.”
Anyone with information about the shooting was asked to contact the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office at 831-755-5111.