Six people were shot during a concert at an event hall in Oregon on Friday night, and the suspected shooter was not yet in custody, police said.
Officers responded to the WOW Hall in Eugene after reports of a shooting around 9:30 p.m., police said in a statement.
"What law enforcement found when they came on scene is what you would exactly expect when six people just got shot," Eugene Police Chief Chris Skinner said at a news conference. "People are just trying to get out of here, their friends are on the ground, they're trying to help."
According to Skinner, dispatch received roughly 30 calls about shots fired outside the performing arts venue. While talking to reporters Friday night, Skinner said police are looking for an armed man in a hoodie who fled the scene, and they need the public’s help.
“We’re going to solve this through good investigation, good evidence collection, and we’re going to solve it through witnesses willing to come forward and share with us what they saw, with potentially what evidence they may have captured on cell phones or other devices.”
Six people were taken to the hospital, and at least one of them was in critical condition, Skinner said. The extent of the other injuries was not immediately clear.
The shooting happened in a back parking lot outside the venue, police and WOW Hall leaders said.
A concert featuring Lil Bean & Zay Bang, and other artists, was being held at the hall at the time.
A Eugene Police Department cruiser, barrier tape, and officers are seen outside the WOW Hall after a mass shooting on Friday Jan. 14, 2022.
Brian Bull / KLCC
Police said no suspect was in custody. Skinner described “chaos” when officers arrived, and said investigators had not received much information from possible witnesses.
Skinner said this is one of the highest profile mass shootings seen in Eugene. He added it’s possible the suspect isn’t from Eugene, and may have already fled this part of Oregon.
WOW Hall released a statement on its website acknowledging the shooting but declining to speculate on any details.
“We at the WOW Hall want to thank all first responders who came so quickly to ensure everyone’s safety and administer first aid,” the message said. “We believe all staff and volunteers are safe and accounted for.”
Investigators have not determined whether the shooting was random or targeted, the police chief said. The Eugene Police Department has set up a tip line and is asking anyone with information or footage of the shooting to contact them at 541-682-5162.
KLCC’s Brian Bull contributed to this story.