A lone gunman killed four people and wounded three others, including a police officer, in the Denver area of the US state of Colorado. The incident took place across several locations and ended with police killing the gunman, the authorities said.

It began at about 5pm local time when the gunman, who has not been publicly identified, shot and killed two women and wounded a man near Downtown Denver, said Chief of Police Paul Pazen.

The suspect twice exchanged gunfire from his vehicle with Denver officers pursuing him, disabling a police car.

From there, the gunman drove into the neighbouring city of Lakewood, where he shot and killed a fourth person inside an unspecified business, according to Lakewood Police spokesman John Romero.