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A gunman remained at large Thursday night after three people were shot, one of them fatally, in a parking lot near the baseball fields at Sacramento City College in California, authorities said.

The community college in California's capital was under protective lockdown as police continued to search late Thursday for the suspect, described as a man of Pacific Island background wearing a white T-shirt and beige cargo shorts.

One person was declared dead at the scene, Sacramento police Sgt. Doug Morris said late Thursday, while a second was being treated at a hospital. That person's condition wasn't reported.

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BREAKING: Students are being evacuated by police. pic.twitter.com/xYmoBlH4s4 — EXPRESStweets (@saccityexpress) September 4, 2015

The third victim suffered only a graze wound, Morris said. It wasn't known whether the gunman or any of the victims were students, he said.

Los Rios Community College District police initially said there were two suspects, but Morris, whose department is leading the homicide investigation, later clarified that only one suspect was being sought.

The campus was declared clear about 6:30 p.m., Sacramento Police Chief Sam Somers said. Classes will be in session Friday, the university said.

Rick Brewer, a spokesman for the college, told NBC News that students and staff were evacuated building by building and classroom by classroom after the shooting.

The shooting occurred during an altercation involving several men about 3:56 p.m. (6:56 p.m. ET), Brewer said. One of the men pulled a semi-automatic handgun, and three other people were shot, he said. One of the surviving victims was shot several times and was taken to UC-Davis Medical Center.

"My stomach dropped," student Lars Beesom told NBC station KCRA. "It was definitely really, really scary, but we all stayed calm.

"It's school," Beesom said. "It's supposed to be a good environment, and you don't want to be scared here."

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson called the shooting "an unthinkable tragedy" and urged prayers for the victims.