Three dead and seven wounded after shooting in a U.S. school

At least three people, including the suspect, have died and seven others have been wounded after a high school shooting in St Louis, Missouri.

The gunman entered central middle school “Visual & Performing Arts” shortly after 0900 local time (13:00 GMT) on Monday, as the doors of the school object were closed and it was not clear how the suspect entered, the BBC writes.

Witnesses say that other lives were saved after the weapon was blocked in the midst of the attack.

The suspect, identified by police as a 19-year-old former student, exchanged firearms with the police and then lost his life after the wounds suffered.

His motive for attacking the school of about 400 students is unclear.

A teenage girl was declared dead inside the school, while a woman died in the hospital, police told local media.

The seven wounded -- three girls and four boys -- all had no life injuries, according to local media.

Police said the gunman graduated from school last year and had no history of criminal behavior.

One of the victims was identified by the family as health teacher Jean Kucska.

Kuczka, 61, had been teaching at school since 2008, according to an online biography, and was the grandmother of seven children.