South Carolina: Four policemen shot dead and suspect in custody

A police officer was shot dead and three others wounded in South Carolina, officials said.

The officer died as a result of his injuries during the incident at Vintage Place in Florence. The condition of others is unknown.

They were answering a call for help from colleagues at the sheriff's office when they were attacked by an armed man.

The alleged gunman was arrested and taken to the hospital. It has not been identified and the motive is not clear.

"We are asking everyone to stay away from Vintage Place as a criminal investigation is still ongoing," officials said.

Governor of South Carolina Henry McMaster paid tribute to the police.

Officer Down Memorial Page lists the names of 23,408 US police officers killed in the line of duty – 112 since the beginning of the year.

In the United States, more than 15,000 people were killed by guns in 2017, according to a list compiled by the Gun Violence Archive tracking website.

This figure does not include about 22,000 annual suicides committed with a firearm.