Four dead in attack at Native American tribal office in California

Two victims who survived the attack were airlifted to hospitals in critical condition.

Four people were killed and two others critically wounded on Thursday when a woman opened fire at a Native American tribal office near the Oregon border in Northern California, police said.

The suspect, a 44-year-old woman identified as Sherie Lash, also known as Sherie Rhoades, was taken into custody at the Cedarville Rancheria Tribal Office in Alturas, California, a spokeswoman for the Alturas police department said.

The two victims who survived the attack, at about 3:30pm Pacific time, were airlifted to hospitals in critical condition, the spokeswoman said. The dead were identified only as two women, ages 19 and 45, and two men aged 30 and 50.

CNN reported on its website that a knife was also used in the attack, which took place during an eviction hearing at a building owned by a Native American tribe.

Reuters could not immediately confirm those details.

"At this time there doesn't appear to be any threat to the community," Alturas Police Chief Ken Barnes said, according to the network.

Alturas is located in remote northeastern California, about 30 miles south of the Oregon border.