Woman dead and six injured after pool party shooting in San Diego

A woman has died and six others are critical after a pool party shooting rampage in San Diego, California, police said.

The man opened fire beside a pool at an apartment complex while holding a beer in his other hand, police said.

The man was shot and killed by police.

San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerma said the gunman was killed after pointing his weapon at police, who had responded to reports of shots being fired in the wealthy enclave of La Jolla just after 6pm local time.

Eight people were hit, Zimmerman said.

Several were in critical condition and being treated in hospitals in the area.

The gunman was not identified and no motive was disclosed

A witness, who identified himself only as a Crossroads resident named John, said he saw the suspect "sitting, drinking a beer in one hand with a gun out in the other" in the pool area of the apartment complex.

He told television station KFMB-TV he and his wife, a nurse, saw "three people laying on the ground shot" and that he also saw one wounded victim trying to crawl to another to give assistance.

He said two police officers who arrived on the scene confronted the gunman, who exchanged gunfire with police before he was shot.