Five police officers were shot and three were killed in a shooting in southern Pennsylvania on Wednesday.   

The gunman was killed, local police confirmed, and two officers were in hospital in a critical but stable condition. 

Officers were initially deployed to the location to follow up on a “domestic-related” investigation that began on Tuesday, a police spokesman said.

A spokesman said they were dealing with a “very large” crime scene that forensic teams were mapping for evidence.

The suspect who killed three officers “was shot by police”, a spokesman said.

Schools in the area were briefly put on lockdown and Josh Shapiro, the state’s governor, rushed to the scene in North Codorus, York county.

Mr Shapiro said his state is grieving the “precious souls” killed.

“We grieve for the loss of life for three precious souls who served this county, served this commonwealth and served this country, and we continue to pray for the full recovery of those who are dealing with their wounds,” Mr Shapiro told a press conference on Wednesday night.