Los Angeles, Oct 16 (IANS): A mass shooting at a restaurant in Los Angeles killed 3 people wounded twelve others, police said.

The police have one suspect in custody and are looking for a second in connection with the shooting which occurred in the West Adams district, Los Angeles.

"It was a bloody scene with shell casings everywhere," Xinhua news agency quoted Frank Preciado of Los Angeles Police Department as saying.

There were around 50 people inside the place, he added.

Preciado told local media that three men left the restaurant and returned with firearms and began shooting at another group of people, while others at the restaurant also opened fire. The scene turned into a gun battle.

The shooting continued in the driveway of the restaurant, which is located in a house on a residential block, Los Angeles Times reported.

"When we got there, there were three people dead and people running everywhere. We had multiple people with gunshot wounds," Preciado said.

A female resident of the neighbourhood estimated the total gunshots to be around 20.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said: "We must take action against easy access to firearms and the thoughtless, indiscriminate, murderous use of them."

"We cannot tolerate these tragedies multiplying in communities across America," he added.