California shooting: Three people killed after gunman opens fire in Torrance Bowling alley

Unconfirmed reports shooting followed argument and fight between customers

Three people have died and four been injured after a shooting inside a California bowling alley.

A manhunt has been launched for a shooter and police in the city of Torrance urged people to stay away from Gable House Bowl where it said there had been "shots fired".

Gable House describes itself on its website as a gaming venue that offers bowling, laser tag and a full arcade.

One eyewitness, Jesus Perez, told the LA Times he was inside the bowling alley when the shooting began.

"We just ran right into the bar and took cover. All we heard was just, like two people got shot."

Mr Perez said he though he had heard about four gunshots and rumours there was a fight before the shooting broke out.

"We just ran into the bar and we just took cover because after the fight we heard 'pop pop'." After taking cover for about 15 minutes, a security guard came to escort him out the back entrance.

Police said two of the four injured men were taken to a nearby hospital with unknown injuries, while the other two had sought out their own medical attention.

A video filmed from inside the alley during the aftermath of the shooting shows police officers attending to a bloodied and injured man, who is slumped on the floor.

A woman can be heard shouting and screaming in her distress, begging the officers to apply more pressure to his wounds and asking someone to call the man's "baby momma".

Detritus from other emergency workers is strewn across the floor and a number of dazed and shocked customers are still milling about in the distressing footage.

The man who filmed the video, D Ryon Thomas, said on Facebook he was in a different room inside the complex but heard gunshots.

"Still processing tonight, I am good," he wrote. "Gunshots fired, heard people died and injured. I was distance away, but people ran in our room."

An LA Times reporter who is outside the bowling alley reported witnesses said the shooting started after an altercation.

"People are throwing up. Family relative crying and screaming," he tweeted. "At least one man is standing around with bandages to his back. His shirt is torn and stained by blood."

One man outside the building, Brandon Tyre, told him he was celebrating a friend's birthday at the Gable House Bowl when a fight broke out and his brother was shot in the chest.

"He's waiting to hear what happened to his brother who remains inside the Gable House Bowl," the reporter tweeted.