Washington, Jul 18 (IANS): Two people were killed and four others injured in a shooting in Sacramento, the capital city of the US state of California, authorities said.

Police officers on patrol reported hearing shots fired in Old Town Sacramento, which is a riverfront historic section of the city, just before 11.45 p.m. Friday, Xinhua news agency quoted the authorities as saying on Saturday.

Officers from across the city as well as those from neighbouring law enforcement agencies responded to assist, according to the Sacramento Police Department.

The two people who died in the shooting were believed to be adult males.

The other four victims received treatment at local hospitals for non-life-threatening injuries, said the department in a news release.

Homicide detectives and crime scene investigators are still investigating the incident.

Officials said "it is believed that there was some type of altercation between two groups prior to the shooting and multiple firearms have been recovered at the scene".