Woman, 18, killed in shoot-out in California cinema screening Forever Purge

A man was taken to hospital with life-threatening gunshot wounds

(Shutterstock / Prath)

A double shooting in a California movie theatre has left one woman dead and a man with life-threatening injuries.

Just before midnight on Monday, officers responded to a call from a movie theatre in The Crossing, a shopping and entertainment complex in Corona.

Police found a 19-year-old male and an 18-year-old female both suffering from gunshot wounds, according to a statement made by the Corona Police Department.

The woman died at the scene, and the man was taken to a nearby hospital in a critical condition. The identities of the victims have not yet been released, as their next of kin were yet to be notified.

It’s not yet clear if the victims were targeted, and no information has been released about potential suspects so far.

Police said the shooting happened inside the theatre during a late showing of The Forever Purge. They initially asked people to avoid the area and are continuing to investigate the incident.

Regal Theaters said in a statement that they were working with authorities on the investigation:

“We have received confirmation of an incident at our Corona Crossings theatre last night.” said a spokesperson. “We are currently working with the local authorities regarding the investigation. Our primary concern is for the safety and security of our guests and staff.”

According to the Washington Post, 2021 has already been a terrible year for gun violence. Between January and May of this year, gunfire killed more than 8,100 people across the United States, which equates to about 54 lives lost per day.

In California, gun homicides spiked by 46 percent after the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.