A man in the United States on Saturday shot dead eight persons at a shopping centre before being killed by a police officer.

The incident took place at Allen Premium Outlets, a shopping complex in the town of Allen, about 40 kilometres north of Dallas.

The police have not yet released the identity of the shooter or any of the victims.

Brian Harvey, the chief of the Allen police department, said that a police officer was in the mall for an unrelated reason when the gunfire broke out around 3.30 pm local time (2 am as per Indian Standard Time).

“He heard gunshots, went to the gunshots, engaged the suspect and neutralised the suspect,” the police chief said, according to AFP. “He also then called for ambulances.”

The shooter was among seven persons who were found dead when more police officials arrived. Nine persons were taken to nearby hospitals, of whom two later succumbed to their injuries.

Video footage on social media showed the attacker getting out of a sedan and then opening fire.

The incident comes amid a spate of mass shootings in the United States. On April 29, five persons, including an 8-year-old boy, were shot dead by their neighbour after they had complained of noise in the city of Cleveland in Texas.

On March 28, six persons, including three nine-year-old children, were killed in a shooting at a private school in Nashville city.