CALIFORNIA'S state capital has been plagued by a horrifying escalation in violence with at least 12 people shot dead – including three kids killed by their own dad.

Sacramento's shocking uptick in gun crime has seen two mass shootings break out just in recent weeks.

An AR-15 wielding father killed his three daughters and the person assigned to supervise his visits with them inside a church in the city ina custody battle turned deadly.

David Fidel Mora Rojas shot dead his children – identified as Samia Mora Gutierrez, 13, and her sisters Samantha, 11 and Samarah, nine – and Nathaniel Kong, 59, before turning the gun on himself.

Authorities are investigating how the 39-year-old managed to obtain the firearm despite having a restraining order against him, which would have prevented him from having a gun.

It emerged the girls' mother filed a domestic violence restraining order in May against her then-boyfriend Mora before the incident on February 28.

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She warned he was "dangerous", adding that she moved out of the home due to safety concerns, according to Sacramento County court records cited by the Los Angeles Times.

The order was granted for five years, allowing a mutual friend and a church member to chaperone Mora’s supervised visits with the couple’s three children due to his “mental instability,” according to court records.

The kids' aunt Jovana Venegas created a GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses.

Meanwhile, at least six people were gunned down and a further 12 injured in the early hours of Sunday as a man gunman opened fire on a street in Sacramento.

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Shocking footage showed around 76 rounds fired in just 54 seconds in the area of 10th and J Streets downtown.

Among the three women and three men killed was dad-of-three Sergio Harris, 38, while another confirmed victim was 29-year-old DeVazia Turner. 

A police statement said: "Officers began life-saving measures to multiple victims on scene. Despite these efforts, six victims were pronounced deceased at the scene.

"Twelve other victims with varying degrees of injuries have also been located".

Videos posted on social media showed crowds of people running through the street as the sound of rapid gunfire rang out in the background.

Police are still on the hunt for two gunmen after gunfire erupted following a brawl outside bars in the area amid reports four bodies were still lying on the street 15 hours after the attack.

And in yet another display of brutality, a 16-year-old girl was shot dead in an apartment on March 17.

Castlemont High School student Marcella Garcia was found with a gunshot wound by cops who attempted to save her life.

A firearm was found at the scene by police. Her death is being investigated by homicide detectives.

Meanwhile, a driver narrowly escaped with his life after his car was left riddled with bullets in the city.

The kids' aunt Jovana Venegas created a GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses.

The victim called police shortly after 11.30pm on March 25 to say he'd been shot in his vehicle.

Cops found him with gun wounds in the stomach a lower back.

He told police he was driving when another car drove up alongside him and forced him to pull over before opening fire.

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The victim was able to crawl over to the passenger side of the Land Rover and escape – running through an open field to get away.

According to cops, more than 60 shell casings were found at the scene, with around 20 bullet holes on the driver's side, reports kesq.

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