A man and his six-year-old son have been shot dead in a California restaurant by a relative who then took his own life.
The man's wife and another son, reported to be five years old, were also shot several times but survived.
They are said to be in a critical condition in hospital.
Police said the 58-year-old gunman, named as Jimmy Schlager, was the wife's stepfather.
He walked into the chain restaurant Del Taco in the city of San Bernardino armed with two semi-automatic weapons and headed straight for the young family who were enjoying lunch.
After blasting the 33-year-old man and his family, the gunman then shot himself in the head.
The incident was witnessed by five other diners and members of staff who told police the gunman made his way straight to the family's table and said something before opening fire.
"This is just a terrible tragedy," said police spokesman Lieutenant Jarrod Burguan.
"A whole family? In my 18 years here I don't recall anyone ever coming and walking in a public place like a restaurant and shooting like this. We haven't had anything like this a long, long time."
The names of the victims have not been released, although police revealed Schlager has a long criminal history dating back to 1972.
Charges against him include theft and assault with deadly weapons. Someone, not the stepdaughter, also took out a restraining order against him in 2006.
Little is known about the gunman's relationship with his 29-year-old stepdaughter whose mother apparently died several years ago.
The man's wife and another son, reported to be five years old, were also shot several times but survived.
They are said to be in a critical condition in hospital.
Police said the 58-year-old gunman, named as Jimmy Schlager, was the wife's stepfather.
He walked into the chain restaurant Del Taco in the city of San Bernardino armed with two semi-automatic weapons and headed straight for the young family who were enjoying lunch.
After blasting the 33-year-old man and his family, the gunman then shot himself in the head.
The incident was witnessed by five other diners and members of staff who told police the gunman made his way straight to the family's table and said something before opening fire.
"This is just a terrible tragedy," said police spokesman Lieutenant Jarrod Burguan.
"A whole family? In my 18 years here I don't recall anyone ever coming and walking in a public place like a restaurant and shooting like this. We haven't had anything like this a long, long time."
The names of the victims have not been released, although police revealed Schlager has a long criminal history dating back to 1972.
Charges against him include theft and assault with deadly weapons. Someone, not the stepdaughter, also took out a restraining order against him in 2006.
Little is known about the gunman's relationship with his 29-year-old stepdaughter whose mother apparently died several years ago.