Four killed in US shooting rampage (Lead)

Washington March 23 (IANS) Four persons including a police officer were killed in Wisconsin US after a domestic dispute escalated into shootings at three different locations and a dramatic standoff between police and the suspect officials said.

The suspect is in custody the police added. The shootings took place at a bank a law firm and an apartment complex ABC News reported.

Around 12.30 p.m. on Wednesday police responded to a domestic situation at Marathon Savings Bank in Rothschild. When they arrived police discovered two people were shot. The suspect was not there.

Police then received a call about 10 minutes later from the law firm Tlusty Kennedy and Dirks in nearby Schofield where the suspect killed one person.

Then at 1.30 p.m. another person was killed at an apartment complex in Weston where the suspect had barricaded himself in an apartment.

After a few hours of negotiations there was an exchange of gunfire. The suspect was injured and transported to local hospital in an unknown condition the ABC News report said.

Nearby schools and a hospital were on a lockdown following the shootings. The lockdowns were later lifted.

At some point during the events an officer with the Everest Metro Police Department was fatally shot said Police Chief Wally Sparks. Everest Metro is a small 27-officer force that serves Schofield and Weston.

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