Pic of Mission Dolores Park (Credit: Mission Dolores Park)

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- Three people were shot Thursday at a park in San Francisco, a city on the U.S. West Coast, and police asked for help to find the gunman at large.

The shootings took place around 3 p.m. local time (2300 GMT) at Dolores Park in Mission District in east-central San Francisco, which made panicked parents and children scramble for cover, witnesses said.

San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) confirmed on Twitter that there were three victims and all were sent to hospital. Later, authorities said two of the victims, both males, were in critical condition.

Spokesman Brent Andrews at San Francisco General Hospital said the condition of the third victim, a minor, was being withheld.

Antonia Juhasz, a witness, told local media that she saw a shooter firing with a handgun from behind a statue at the park, which was packed with kids and their parents at the time.

The SFPD posted an additional Twitter message asking for help with the ongoing investigation, while there was no official information about the shooting suspect, his whereabouts or possible motives.

As one of San Francisco's most popular destinations, Mission Dolores Park encompasses nearly 16 acres, offering such features as several tennis courts, a basketball court, a multi-purpose court, a soccer field, a pissoir, a children's playground, and a dog play area.