Between 35 to 45 people, including women and children, had gathered at the house in Fresno to watch a football game, but were forced to flee for their lives when a gunman started firing shots into the backyard.

Fresno’s Deputy Police Chief Michael Reid told reporters in a press conference that it was likely a “targeted shooting,” but added that it was too early to confirm the motive for now.

He added that Fresno Police Department was currently trying to identify the suspect and have started to gather evidence from the scene.

“The initial information is that somebody came up on foot, possibly, at least one suspect did, and began firing,” Reid said.

“They fired into the backyard where most of the people were in this party, striking 10 people in the course of that gunshot [fire].

“Preliminarily, three people died on the scene—all Asian males between the ages of 25 and 30. One was critical and was transported to CRMC [Community Regional Medical Center] where he succumbed to his injuries.

“We have five additional people at CRMC with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds and one Asian male that came up later on during investigations and he said he had a graze. He was taken to Saint Agnes Medical Center where he’s receiving treatment right now.”

He added: “It was very likely a targeted shooting, we just don’t know why. Because somebody picked that house and shot several times at the backside of it. It looks like there was a target, but we just don’t know what the targeting was.”

Police have since cordoned off the area near the home on Lamona Avenue and advised that extra patrols will be on hand to keep residents safe as they investigate.

Reid also confirmed police have deployed their “mass casualty protocol,” but said that his first priority was the victims and the families of the deceased.

“First off, our heart goes out to the families of the victims of this thing,” he said. “This is senseless violence. We’re going to do everything we can to find out who the perpetrators were and bring them to justice, but right now, what we want is our thoughts and prayers going out to the families and the survivors of this senseless shooting.”

He added that police had no indication at this stage whether the gunman knew the victims as statements were yet to be collected from the remaining attendants of the party. He also said there was nothing to suggest the shooting was gang related, but said it is something his department will explore as they investigate.

A tweet from the San Francisco Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said that special agents are also responding to the shooting.

Newsweek has contacted the Fresno Police Department for an update.