Police officer among dead in Jersey City shootout

A POLICE officer and multiple other people were killed in a furious gun battle that filled the streets of a US city with the sound of heavy gunfire for about an hour, authorities said.

Authorities said they believe the shootout in Jersey City, New Jersey, was not an act of terrorism, but the bloodshed was still under investigation. Officials gave no immediate details on what set off the shooting and how it unfolded, and there was no word on how many suspects were involved or whether anyone had been taken into custody.

One officer was pronounced dead at a hospital, and multiple other people were found dead at a kosher supermarket, Mayor Steven Fulop said without specifying how many were killed.

A second officer was struck in the shoulder by gunfire, and two others were hit by shrapnel, Mr Fulop said.

In a separate incident a man with an illegal gun has shot dead six people and wounded three others at a hospital in the eastern Czech Republic, the prime minister and officials said.

The gunman later killed himself as police approached his vehicle.

Prime minister Andrej Babis told public television the shooting took place at around 7am in a hospital waiting room, with the attacker opening fire at people’s heads from close range.

The prime minister cancelled an official visit to Estonia and headed to the scene of the shooting at the University hospital in the eastern city of Ostrava.

“It’s a huge tragedy,” Mr Babis said later. “It’s an unfortunate, individual act.”

He said the suspect had been treated in the hospital, but did not offer details.