WASHINGTON, July 31 ― A disgruntled employee shot dead two co-workers and wounded a police officer at a Walmart store in the southern US state of Mississippi yesterday, officials said.

The gunman, who has not been identified, was shot and wounded by one of the police officers who responded to the shooting in the city of Southaven, police chief Macon Moore told reporters.

Moore said two Walmart employees were killed in what he described as a "senseless violent act.”

He said the wounded police officer was "saved by his (bulletproof) vest.”

Southaven Mayor Darren Musselwhite told reporters the incident was "an isolated event.”

"It was a disgruntled employee,” Musselwhite said. "It's someone that had a personal grievance with his employer.”

A Walmart employee told a local television station the gunman had worked at the store for 25 years before being fired.

In a statement, Walmart said it was "heartbroken by the loss of two valued members of our team.”

Southaven is a suburb of Memphis, Tennessee, which lies just to the north over the state line.― AFP