California Sacramento College Shooting: Gunman Kills 1, Injures 2

A gunman shot three people, one of them fatally, Thursday in a parking lot at Sacramento City College in California, officials said. The college campus was put on lockdown for about two hours as the shooter remained at large late Thursday.

The shooting occurred about 4 p.m., according to reports. All the victims were male, Sacramento police Sgt Doug Morse said, according to Reuters, adding, one man was declared dead at the scene while an injured man was rushed to a nearby hospital. Another sustained minor wounds, Morse reportedly said. One of the victims is reportedly a student at the college.

A verbal fight reportedly triggered the shooting. Police said, on Twitter, that they believed a Tongan man in beige cargo shorts and a white shirt to be the suspect.

"My stomach dropped," student Lars Beesom told NBC station KCRA. "It was definitely really, really scary, but we all stayed calm. … It's supposed to be a good environment, and you don't want to be scared here," Beesom said.

Authorities declared the campus as clear about 6:30 p.m., Sacramento Police Chief Sam Somers said, according to NBC News. Rick Brewer, a college spokesman, told NBC News that classes were canceled, and students and staff were evacuated from all buildings at the campus.