Three people have been killed by a gunman in a shopping centre in Indiana, with a “hero” bystander shooting dead the attacker.
The man entered Greenwood Park Mall on Sunday and began firing a rifle, fatally injuring three people before being killed by a 22-year-old armed bystander, police say.
One of two others wounded was a 12-year-old girl who sustained a minor injury, the Indianapolis Star reported.
“The real hero of the day is the citizen that was lawfully carrying a firearm in that food court and was able to stop the shooter almost as soon as he began,” said Greenwood Police Chief Jim Ison.
Names of the victims, gunman or the person who intervened have not yet been released.
Indiana has some of the most relaxed gun laws in the US. This month it scrapped the need for people carrying a handgun to have a permit – even if the weapon is concealed.
This latest shooting follows similar attacks at a school in Uvalde, Texas and at an Independence Day parade in Chicago.
“We are sickened by yet another type of incident like this in our country,” Indianapolis Assistant Chief of Police Chris Bailey said.
The three people shot dead in Indiana are among 136 people killed in firearm violence nationwide in the last 72 hours, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
Police went to the shopping centre at about 6pm local time after the alarm was raised.
Authorities searched for other victims but it is believed the shooting was contained to the food court.US Senator Todd Young, a Republican from Indiana, tweeted: “Terrible news tonight in my home county. Praying for the victims of a shooting at the Greenwood Park Mall.
“Thank you to our law enforcement officers who responded.
“Last month the US Senate passed a rare bipartisan package of gun safety legislation, following decades of failure to pass legislation on firearms.
Greenwood is a south suburb of Indianapolis with a population of about 60,000.Mayor Mark Myers asked for “prayers to the victims and our first responders”.
“This tragedy hits at the core of our community,” he added in a statement. (Sky)