Nine people have been killed and at least 16 injured in a mass shooting in Dayton, Ohio, police have confirmed.
First reports came in at about 01:00 local time (05:00 GMT) of a shooting outside a bar in the Oregon district of the city.
Casualties have been taken to a number of hospitals, according to local media. The shooter is also said to be dead.
The incident came hours after a mass shooting in El Paso, Texas which left at least 20 people dead.
“We had officers in the immediate vicinity when this shooting began and were able to respond and put an end to it quickly,” Dayton Police Department wrote in a tweet. The authorities have appealed for witnesses.
Footage posted on social media showed people running as dozens of gunshots echoed through the streets.
It is thought the shooting took place outside Ned Peppers Bar on E 5th Street. A note saying staff members were safe appeared on Ned Peppers Instagram page and on the nearby Hole in the Wall bar’s Facebook page.
Jae Williams told the BBC he was at a nearby rap performance when they were told to evacuate.
“I was very shocked,” he said. “We all evacuated quickly and safely. We were told to avoid the Oregon district.”
“I got to my car, I could see cops, multiple ambulances. When I drove past I saw a lot of cops and ambulances.”
Emergency services gathered at the corner of E 5th Street and Wayne Avenue in the wake of the shooting.
FBI agents also arrived at the scene.
Source: BBC
