At least two people were killed and 14 injured in the shooting in the city of Rochester, New York state, Police Chief Mark Simmons said

A mass shooting in the city of Rochester, USA, caused two deaths and 14 injuries this morning, the city police said at a press conference.

“We have 16 confirmed victims of the shooting, I regret to report that two of them are fatal,” he was quoted as saying by local channel 13WHAM.

The shooting occurred on Pennsylvania Avenue during a backyard party at 12:25 a.m., authorities said, without identifying the suspect or suspects.

“It’s really a tragedy of epic proportions,” Police Chief Mark Simmons said during the press conference held this morning.

The authorities are now taking steps and questioning witnesses to obtain more information about how the shooting started and who was the perpetrator or perpetrators.

A witness reported to local media that the shooting sounded like “the Vietnam War”.

The city of Rochester has been one of the stages of protests over police violence against African Americans in the United States, following the violent arrest of Daniel Prude, 41, who died.