Sept 20 - Five people were shot, including an eight-year-old girl, in Syracuse, New York on Thursday, the city's police chief said.

Police responded to a shooting in the city in upstate New York shortly after 9 pm local time, the department said in a statement posted on Twitter by a producer for National Public Radio.

"This is very tragic event," Syracuse Police Chief Frank Fowler said during a news conference. "This is something that cannot occur in our community."

Fowler did not disclose the condition of the five wounded people.

The Syracuse Firefighters union reported earlier that seven people were shot on Midland Avenue in the city, according to a Facebook post.

News website Syracuse.com reported that the shooting took place at a family gathering to remember a person who died of cancer.

The website said ambulances were seen driving away from the scene with a police escort at about 9:15 pm.

Syracuse is about 250 miles (402 km) northwest of New York City.

Reuters