One person died from apparent gunshot wounds Sunday afternoon at a bar southwest of Petaluma, officials said.

Sonoma County sheriff’s deputies went to Ernie’s Tin Bar in the 5000 block of Lakeville Highway around 4 p.m., according to a dispatcher from Redcom, the county’s emergency fire and medical dispatch service.

The dispatcher told The Press Democrat that a gunshot victim was found at the bar, but had no further details.

The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, which is handling the investigation, did not respond to requests for comment. However, Deputy Rob Dillion, a spokesman for the agency, made a brief message on the office’s Facebook page Sunday evening, confirming that one person had died.

“Officers determined the victim appeared to have been shot and found shell casings in the area,” Dillion said. in the message.

Ernie’s Tin Bar, located at Lakeville Highway and Stage Gulch Road, has been a local staple for over a century.

A Press Democrat photographer at the scene reported that as of 6:30 p.m., at least six sheriff’s vehicles and an ambulance were present, with patrons still inside the bar.

You can reach staff writer Alana Minkler at 707-526-8531 or [email protected]. On X (Twitter,) @alana_minkler.