Aurora shooting: Gunman kills five at warehouse where he worked before he is shot dead

President Trump briefed on the situation

A man gunned down five people at a business in suburban Chicago, before he was shot and killed.

Gary Martin also shot and wounded five police officers in the attack at the Henry Pratt Co warehouse in Aurora. Workers at the plant said he was employed there.

Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman said the 45-year-old was shot and killed.

The city’s director of communications Clayton Muhammad told the ABC7 news channel, that the police officers were in stable condition.

“May God bless the brave law enforcement officers who continue to run towards danger,” Illinois governor said at a news conference on Friday afternoon.

“We have an active shooter incident at 641 Archer Av. This is an active scene. Please avoid the area,” the Aurora Police Department had earlier said on Twitter

At 3pm, the city of Aurora, located 40 miles west of Chicago, reported that the shooter was in custody but said the area was still in lock-down at that time.

The Chicago FBI also responded to the scene to “assist local law enforcement”, as local schools went into lock-down.

John Probst, an employee at the company, told a local television network, he ran out of the back door as the shooting unfolded. Mr Probst said he recognised the gunman and that he worked for the company.

“What I saw was the guy running down the aisle with a pistol with a laser on it,” Mr Probst said.

The Associated Press said Presence Mercy Medical Centre was treating two patients and a third had been transferred by helicopter to another hospital, spokesman Matt Wakely said.

Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital and Advocate Lutheran General Hospital each had one patient from the shooting, spokeswoman Kate Eller said. Rush Copley Medical Centre received three patients from the shooting and all are being treated for non-life threatening injuries, according to spokesperson Courtney Satlak.

Donald Trump was been briefed on events.

“The president has been briefed and is monitoring the ongoing situation in Aurora,” Sarah Sanders said in a statement.