1 dead, 5 wounded in shooting near Cal State Chico campus

A 17-year-old girl was killed and five others were wounded when a barrage of gunfire broke out early Saturday morning near the California State Chico campus, police said.

Officers responded about 3:30 a.m. to reports of gunshots fired in the 1000 block of Columbus Avenue , according to Chico Police Chief Billy Aldridge. First responders found six people had been shot: two 17-year-old girls, and four men, ages 18, 19, 20 and 21.

One of the girls died from her injuries, police said. The five surviving victims were taken to the hospital, where they were treated for non-life threatening injuries.

As of Saturday morning, no one had been arrested in connection with the shootings.

The shootings are believed to be the culmination of several violent episodes at two house parties across the city, Aldridge said.

Chico police were first dispatched to a large party in the 700 block of West 7th Street at 12:27 a.m. after someone discharged several rounds from a firearm.

Investigators learned that a fight had broken out because someone was asked to leave the party. The brawl sent two people to the hospital after one was hit in the head with a firearm and another struck in the head with a glass bottle.

At 3 a.m., officers were called to a different party in the 1000 block of Columbus Avenue where someone brandished a gun, police said. Officers cleared out the party and arrested someone who matched the description of the person who fired shots earlier that morning at the 7th Street party.

Less than a half hour later, police returned to the same block, where the six people were shot.

The shooting took place about a block away from Cal State Chico, a university with about 14,000 students.