Four people have been killed and six others hurt in a shooting incident at a biker bar in southern California.

The gunman, identified on Thursday as a retired police officer, was among the four who died at Cook's Corner in Orange County.

Two of the six who were injured are in critical condition, county fire chief Brian Fennessy said.

There have been more than 400 mass shootings in 2023 alone, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

The shooting took place at 19:00 local time (02:00 GMT) as the bar was offering an $8 (£6.30) spaghetti night and a rock music show, which were advertised on the bar's Facebook page.

It is thought the incident may have started as a domestic incident between the gunman and his wife, CBS News reported citing a police source.

On Thursday, authorities named the suspect as John Snowling, a retired sergeant who worked with the Ventura Police Department in California until 2014.

At least one weapon was recovered from the scene, police said.

Orange County supervisor Katrina Foley said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that she was "heartbroken to hear of another senseless mass shooting, this time in our own backyard".

Senator Dave Min from Orange county said he was "devastated" by the news.

"Our district is one of the safest areas in the country, and yet we too are repeatedly afflicted with the scourge of mass shootings," he said.

Cook's Corner is a popular stop for bikers driving though the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains.

Its patrons include Arnold Schwarzenegger, the actor and former California governor, who hosted a reception there in 2006, arriving on a motorcycle.

Gun control is a politically charged subject in the US.

While polls show that a majority of Americans are in favour of stricter gun laws, many Republicans oppose such a move.