Three police shot dead in Baton Rouge

Three police officers have been shot dead in the US city of Baton Rouge, and three more have been injured, officials say.

One suspect is dead and two others may still be at large, reports BBC.

It follows the recent killing of a black man by police in the city. That, and a police shooting in Minnesota, led to protests across the US.

The killings triggered a revenge attack by a black army veteran who shot dead five officers in the city of Dallas.

Baton Rouge police have warned residents to stay away from the scene of the latest shooting, which was near police headquarters and Airline Highway.

Footage shown on a local TV channel, filmed on a mobile phone, showed police cars arriving at a road intersection. Several shots were then heard.

The local sheriff's department spokeswoman told WAFB TV the incident began shortly before 09:00 local time and was still being treated as "an active situation", with road closures in the area.

She said officers had responded to reports of shooting. A witness interviewed by the station said the shooting appeared to have broken out before law enforcement officers arrived at the scene.

Baton Rouge mayor Kip Holden said he had spoken to White House officials in Washington, who had offered assistance. He said it was "a defining moment" for community relations.