A law enforcement officer was killed and at least six were injured after a suspect opened fire on them in the United States on Wednesday, reported the Washington Post. The incident took place at a house in South Carolina’s Florence when the officers had gone to serve a search warrant.

The dead officer was identified as Terrence Carraway from the Florence Police Department. He had served for 30 years, reported AP.

The accused opened fire on the officers and continued to fire as officers from other departments arrived at the spot, said an unidentified official. While the accused locked himself inside the house along with an unspecified number of children, the police were forced to drive in with an armoured vehicle to rescue the injured. The shooter was arrested two hours after the standoff.

“These officers went there unknowing the firepower this suspect had,” said Florence County Sheriff Kenney Boone. “He had an advantage. The officers couldn’t get to the ones that were down.”

State Senator Hugh K Leatherman Senior, who represents part of Florence County, said he had been informed that the suspect had used “a high-powered rifle” and that he had first fired from the second floor of the home, reported The New York Times.

The motive behind the shooting is unclear.