Police said four people had died and 10 were wounded in the incident in Stockton, about 60 miles east of San Francisco.

Officers were called on Saturday to a banquet hall just before 6pm local time (2am UK time) and district attorney Ron Freitas said children were among the dead.

He said the attacker was still at large.

"We can confirm at this time that approximately 14 individuals were struck by gunfire, and four victims have been confirmed deceased," San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office said on X.

The post said early indications suggest it could be a "targeted incident" but that information remains limited.

Police have so far not disclosed the attacker's identity and the motive is unclear.

Stockton's vice mayor Jason Lee confirmed on Facebook that the shooting on Lucile Avenue happened at a child's birthday party.

Mayor Christina Fugazzi said that "families should be together instead of at the hospital, standing next to their loved one, praying that they survive".

California governor Gavin Newsom's office added that he had been briefed on the "horrific shooting".

The ban was imposed after the force in Birmingham concluded that the visit of Maccabi was too "high risk" to allow visiting fans amid inflamed community tensions over the Gaza war.

And the decision will be challenged by the Home Affairs Select Committee on Monday when leaders from the force are questioned by MPs.

It comes as Sky News can reveal officers only classified Thursday's Europa League match between Aston Villa and BSC Young Boys as "medium risk" despite three UEFA disciplinary cases against the Swiss club since 2023 for fan unrest, including partial stadium bans being imposed.

And some of those Young Boys fans then fought with police and a Villa player was left bloodied by a plastic cup being thrown.

West Midlands Police has not explained in any more detail about the lower classification for the Young Boys match.

While Maccabi has not been hit with any UEFA disciplinary cases recently for hooliganism, the club's Europa League game at Ajax in November 2024 raised concerns in Birmingham about the ability to allow Israeli fans.

Understanding it means going back to November 2024 - and the days of disorder around Maccabi's Europa League match against Ajax.

It's this incident that had to be assessed by authorities in England when deciding how to police Maccabi's visit to Villa this month.

But the accuracy of this assessment has been called into question.

Sky News has heard in depth from Dutch police about what they told officers in England about the threat posed by the Israeli supporters in a video call at the start of October.

What's not doubted by the police or indeed Maccabi is that Israeli ultras - more violent fans - were involved in attacks and anti-Palestinian chants in Amsterdam. They armed themselves with belts and padlocks, attacking taxis and scooter-riders.

Contradictions in police accounts

But there are some apparent contradictions between the accounts of the two forces.

In dispute are elements of a document produced by West Midlands Police to justify advice to Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group, which has been leaked.

It effectively set out why Maccabi fans were deemed too dangerous to be allowed into Villa.

A key claim from West Midlands Police is that 500 to 600 Maccabi fans apparently intentionally targeted Muslim communities in Amsterdam. Amsterdam police says there were 500 to 800 high-risk Maccabi supporters.

Muslims 'not targeted' by large groups of visiting fans

But the force told me: "We did not see large groups of Maccabi's (fans) going into Muslim populated areas to target Muslims."

Asked to clarify, it added: "Provocations came from both sides. This all happened in the city centre. That's not the same as a large group (of) Maccabi (fans) going into a Muslim populated area to target Muslims."

Amsterdam police also made no reference in a detailed timeline provided to us of the notable claim by West Midlands Police that Maccabi fans threw "innocent members of the public into the river".

The five people convicted in Amsterdam were all for violence against Israelis.

It is not clear why no Israeli fans were prosecuted, given that the Amsterdam police cited in detail attacks by them.

'Offensive, racist expressions'

"Compared to other European high-risk football supporters, Amsterdam police makes the assessment that the Maccabi supporters were quite self-confident and were not afraid - neither of opponents, nor of the police," the timeline provided to us said.

It goes on to highlight "offensive, racist expressions" in Hebrew shouted by Maccabi fans.

It turns to the situation towards the city centre after the match.

Referencing "Maccabi Tel Aviv rioters", it says: "Along the way, they equip themselves with materials such as metal rods and stones. Stones are also thrown at taxis.

"At the same time, another development takes place: small groups of pro-Palestinian rioters actively search for individuals they perceive as Israeli, Jewish or Maccabi supporters. At 23.55pm, the first 'flash' attacks on Maccabi supporters begin at Dam Square.

"Several dozen violent incidents in the city centre follow. The pro-Palestinian rioters use various methods to reach their victims: some move on foot; others use scooters or taxis to move quickly through the city.

"This makes it difficult for the police to intervene quickly and effectively. This proves to be a fundamentally different form of violence compared to earlier situations, which involved clashes between groups facing each other.

"From 1.24am onward, reports of attacks decrease, but fear among Jewish residents of Amsterdam and Israeli tourists remains high. Multiple reports come in of people feeling unsafe and not daring to leave their hotels."

A West Midlands Police document does say there was evidence of "incitement to attack Jewish fans", but they largely overlook what officers in Amsterdam said was the threat posed to the Maccabi contingent.

The force had to assess the resources needed for the match.

It claims 5,000 officers had to be deployed in Amsterdam. But the Dutch police confirmed to us there were only 1,200 police deployed.

It's raising new questions for the Aston Villa-supporting Tory MP Nick Timothy - a former Home Office special adviser - about the characterisation of Maccabi fans.

"This isn't just about a football match," Mr Timothy told Sky News. "This isn't just about the rights of the Israeli supporters to come to Britain and watch their team. This is about whether we can trust the police to do their job without fear or favour, as the police oath requires them to do. And whether we can trust them to tell us the truth.

"They've presented an intelligence report that they say is based on information provided by the Dutch. The Dutch say that that information is not true".

Read more on Sky News:
'False claims' fuelled fan ban
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West Midlands Police said in a statement it is "satisfied in the veracity of our information and intelligence, which put public safety at the heart of our decision-making.

"We will be giving evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee on Monday 1 December and therefore it would be inappropriate to make further comment at this time."

The only time the force has so far explained the decision on camera was in an interview with me on the day of the Villa match when Chief Superintendent Tom Joyce highlighted "quite significant levels of hooliganism" among Maccabi fans.

He said banning supporters is not a "precedent but it's one we would use rarely, clearly".

Few policing decisions have been as contentious, as scrutinised this year, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer this week expressing fresh concern about the evidence used to ban by officers.

Investigators are searching for bodies in the residential towers of Wang Fuk Court, where the blaze erupted on Wednesday.

Authorities say 146 bodies have now been found, rising from a previous reported total of 128.

Shuk-yin Tsang, the head of the Hong Kong police casualty unit, said another 100 people remained unaccounted for, and 79 people were injured.

Flames spread through seven of the eight towers of the complex, and the fire was not fully extinguished until Friday.

Police said they had completed searches through four of the affected buildings.

But a city official said they expected the search process to take three to four weeks.

The burnt towers

Cheng Ka-chun, the police officer leading the search, said bodies had been found both in apartments and on the roofs.

He said: "It is so dark inside, and because of the low light, it is very difficult to do the work, especially in places away from the windows."

Before the fire broke out, the towers had been undergoing renovations and were clad in bamboo scaffolding, draped with nylon netting, with windows covered by polystyrene panels.

Residents say they repeatedly warned about the potential flammability of the materials, but were told by the authorities that they faced "relatively low fire risks".

Now the authorities are investigating whether fire codes were violated amid growing public anger over the blaze.

Beijing has warned it will use a national security law to crack down on any "anti-China" protests that result.

'Give justice to the families'

Over 1,000 people turned out on Sunday to pay tribute to the victims of the fire, which was Hong Kong's deadliest in more than 75 years.

Mourners queued for more than a kilometre to lay flowers, some with sticky notes attached addressed to the victims.

Joey Yeung, whose grandmother's apartment burned in the fire, asked for justice.

The 28-year-old said: "I can't accept it. So today I came with my father and my family to lay flowers.

"I'm not asking to get anything back but at least give some justice to the families of the deceased - to those who are still alive."

Another mourner, Lian Shuzheng, said: "This really serves as a wake-up call for everyone, especially with these super high-rise buildings."

'Serious deficiencies' in safety

An online petition demanding an independent probe into possible corruption and a review of construction oversight drew over 10,000 signatures before it was closed.

Another petition with similar demands attracted more than 2,700 signatures with its plea for "explicit accountability" from the government.

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City officials have announced they were suspending 28 building projects undertaken by the contractor that was renovating Wang Fuk Court, the Prestige Construction & Engineering Company.

They said the fire had "exposed serious deficiencies" in the safety of the company's sites, "including the extensive use of foam boards to block up windows during building repairs".

The day after the fire broke out, two directors and an engineering consultant from a construction firm were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

Police said they also suspected the company's leaders of gross negligence, without identifying the firm by name.

The three men were released on bail, but then rearrested by Hong Kong’s anti-corruption authorities, who made a further eight arrests.

Former NHS Tayside neurosurgeon Sam Eljamel is originally from Libya and is believed to be operating there now.

Suspended from his work at a hospital in Dundee in 2013, Eljamel is accused by dozens of former patients of carrying out life-changing "botched" brain and spinal operations. The claims include removing the wrong body parts.

A public inquiry is under way and Police Scotland is examining up to 200 patient cases as part of an ongoing criminal investigation.

'Paralysed by my surgeon'

Annemarie Pymm, a former tax worker, lives in Perth with her husband Dougie. She is paralysed and can barely speak after undergoing two brain operations by Eljamel to remove cancer and requires 24/7 care.

Sitting next to his wife, Mr Pymm told Sky News: "She can't walk. She can't talk. She can't do anything for herself."

The Pymms are part of a growing group of families who are demanding answers and accountability.

"Professor Eljamel... Do you know what he has done to my wife and 200 other people? He mutilated them," Dougie said.

Eljamel was head of neurosurgery at NHS Tayside from 1995 to 2013. He was lauded as one of Europe's leading brain surgeons and boasted a CV that was pages long.

When allegations of malpractice first emerged, NHS bosses allowed the surgeon to operate on a further 111 patients unsupervised despite being under clinical supervision.

Health chiefs have since admitted patients were put at unnecessary risk.

His final NHS patient: 'I sued and won'

One of those patients was Jules Rose, who is now the lead campaigner in this scandal.

Medical notes reveal Ms Rose, who lives in Kinross, had a tear gland removed instead of a brain tumour during Eljamel's last ever surgery on Scottish soil.

She was unaware he was under investigation at the time and has since won a successful lawsuit against the NHS.

She said: "Where were the checks and balances in all of this? Where were the systemic processes that Eljamel should have been going through?"

The former marathon runner describes Eljamel as a "butcher" who has destroyed her life.

Sky News contacted the hospital in Misrata, Libya, where Eljamel is thought to be employed. An employee confirmed he works there almost every day but declined our request to speak directly to him.

Will Eljamel ever be extradited to UK?

A formal extradition treaty exists between the UK and Libya, allowing Libyan nationals to be sent back to Britain in certain criminal circumstances.

Professor Peter Watson is a senior lawyer who represented British families in the decades-long diplomatic and legal battle with Libya over the Lockerbie bombing, the UK's worst-ever terror attack.

All passengers and crew on board Pan Am flight 103 were killed when the plane exploded over the Scottish town in 1988.

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The subsequent investigation, involving Mr Watson, centred on discussions with authorities in Libya after various Libyan nationals were accused of the terror attack.

Sky News visited him to ask him, with his knowledge of how the system operates there, his views on the prospect of Eljamel being brought back to Scotland to face any formal charges, if any were brought forward.

Mr Watson told Sky News: "I think the challenge is probably too big. The steps that Crown Office and the police would be required to take would require the cooperation and agreement of the Libyan authorities. It is difficult to see how that would happen."

He concluded: "Libya is a country in turmoil. Various factions are fighting to take control of various parts. You'd have to persuade the Libyan authorities that it was in the interests of their citizens and of Libya for this process to take place."

Public inquiry gets under way

In 2021, a Scottish court ordered Dr Eljamel to pay a former patient £2.8m in compensation after a judge ruled the surgeon was entirely to blame for leaving a woman with serious disabilities.

A judge-led independent public inquiry examining what went wrong is now under way in Edinburgh.

It is examining, among other areas, failures including a lack of effective systems to pick up on recurrent mistakes by surgeons during Eljamel's tenure in Scotland.

Earlier this week, it emerged that 40 hard copy theatre logbooks containing information on surgeries carried out by Eljamel between 1995 and 2013 had been destroyed.

They were wrecked in July this year despite a formal "Do Not Destroy" order being in place for the inquiry.

NHS Tayside has apologised and said it will fully comply with the investigations and inquiries.

In a video statement, Mr Netanyahu, who is the only sitting PM in Israeli history to stand trial, said the case had divided the country and a pardon would help restore national unity.

He also said the requirement to appear in court three times a week is a distraction that makes it difficult for him to lead.

President Isaac Herzog's office said it was "an extraordinary request" which carries "significant implications".

The president will "responsibly and sincerely consider the request" after consulting with "relevant authorities" in the justice ministry and legal departments, his office said.

It comes after Donald Trump sent a letter to Mr Herzog urging him to "fully pardon" Mr Netanyahu earlier this month.

The US president told Mr Herzog his prime minister had "stood tall for Israel in the face of strong adversaries" and Mr Netanyahu's "attention cannot be unnecessarily diverted".

Mr Netanyahu's trial, which began in 2020, has not yet concluded. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges, which include bribery and fraud.

He was indicted in 2019 in three cases, including allegations of receiving nearly 700,000 shekels (£166,500) in gifts from business representatives.

The prime minister's request consists of two documents over 111 pages, the president's office said - a letter signed by Mr Netanyahu's lawyer, Amit Hadad, as well as a letter signed by Mr Netanyahu himself.

They say a pardon can be issued even before conviction and argue the ongoing trial is preventing Mr Netanyahu from fully performing his duties as prime minister, particularly on critical security and diplomatic issues.

The documents claim the investigation and prosecution of Mr Netanyahu suffered from irregularities, including pressure on witnesses and an effort to target the prime minister.

His long record of service and leadership is also highlighted.

PM says trial 'deepens rifts'

In his video statement, Mr Netanyahu said: "The continuation of the trial tears us apart from within, stirs up this division and deepens rifts.

"I am sure, like many others in the nation, that an immediate conclusion of the trial would greatly help to lower the flames and promote the broad reconciliation that our country so desperately needs."

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Emi Palmor, former director general of Israel's justice ministry, said it was not possible for the trial to be stopped by the pardon request.

"You cannot claim that you're innocent while the trial is going on and come to the president and ask him to intervene," she said.

The only way to stop the trial is to ask the attorney general to withhold the proceedings, she added.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid urged the president not to give in to the request.

"You cannot grant him a pardon without an admission of guilt, an expression of remorse and an immediate retirement from political life," he said.