Lethal shooting near World Cup fan zone an isolated incident, say San Jose police

SANTA JOSE, California, June 29 : A suspected drive-by shooting in San Jose, California, that killed one person and injured another near the Bay Area's main site for World Cup watch parties was an isolated incident and not related to the tournament, police said on Monday.

A man was shot outside a ramen restaurant and pronounced dead about a block away from the San Pedro Square fan zone late on Sunday, while a second adult male collapsed in the square where thousands of World Cup fans have gathered to watch matches, witnesses told Reuters.

The second victim was in hospital in critical condition but expected to survive, police said.

A San Jose Police Department spokesperson said on Monday the victims were San Jose residents who were travelling together by foot and a suspect approached them in a car and fled after the shooting.

Police are investigating the case as homicide, and said the motive and circumstances were unclear.

"I want to make clear that, although this was an isolated incident and unrelated to any World Cup watch activities, we understand the importance of fans and visitors feeling safe when coming to downtown San Jose," spokesperson Stacie Shih told reporters.

"The San Jose Police Department will be ensuring high visibility in and around the area. So, again, this is to make sure that our fans and visitors have a safe experience when they visit downtown San Jose."

There were no World Cup games being screened at the fan zone at the time of the shooting which police responded to around 9:12 p.m. local time on Sunday.

RAMEN RESTAURANT

Staff at a ramen restaurant about a block away from the fan zone confirmed to Reuters on Monday that a victim of the shooting had died metres from their door.

The other victim ran through a