POLCE in the US city of Lewiston, Maine have warned a gunman is on the loose, with reports that at least 16 people have been killed.
Residents of the city, as well as the nearby town of Lisbon, have been told to shelter in place.
Police named Robert Card, 40, as a person of interest and said he should be considered “armed and dangerous”.
The White House said President Joe Biden had been briefed on the situation and would continue to receive updates.
There were also multiple but unconfirmed reports of at least 50 people injured.
Billie Jayne Cooke, who is running for the city council in Lewiston, told BBC News Channel she had been leaving an event as details of the shooting emerged.
“The entire ride home was just solid sirens, one siren after another,” she said.
“Helicopters, sirens, I’ve never heard so much activity in my life in this city. We have police from all over the state, from out of the state, coming up.
“The whole city’s on lockdown. It’s horrible. You just don’t think that’s ever going to happen and it did.”
In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, Maine State Police said: “There is an active shooter in Lewiston.
“We ask people to shelter in place. Please stay inside your home with the doors locked.”
