Nine people were killed and several others hurt when a gunman opened fire at a dance studio in the US state of California on Saturday night, Los Angeles Times reported.

The shooting occurred at Monterey Park around 10 pm local time near the site of a Chinese Lunar New Year celebration, the US newspaper reported citing law enforcement sources and witnesses.

Tens of thousands of people gathered on Saturday for the start of Lunar New Year festivities, one of the largest events in the region.

The injured were taken to multiple hospitals in the area, said the report. It was unclear whether a suspect was in custody.

Chinese Lunar New Year celebration is one of the largest events in the area, as per the Los Angeles Times report. Internal police communications have revealed that there have been some fatalities.

Earlier on Saturday, people were enjoying skewers and shopping for Chinese food and jewelry. The New Year festivities were scheduled from 10 am to 9 pm. Videos that have surfaced on social media showed the presence of police and fire units on Garvey Avenue and treating victims.

The LA Times report said y people were moved to multiple hospitals in the region. Seung Won Choi, who owns the Clam House seafood barbecue across the street from where the shooting took place said that three people rushed into his restaurant and told him to lock the door, according to the report.

The report added that three people told him that there was a man with a machine gun in the region.

According to Choi, people also told him that the shooter had multiple rounds of ammunition on him.