Six people have died in a shooting in Mississippi.

The incident took place in Arkabutla, in Tate County, a small rural town near the state border with Tennessee.

According to local media, the gunman went to a store and shot a man dead, before moving on to a nearby home where he fatally shot a woman.

He then went to a home, believed to be where he lived, and shot and killed two people there, WJTV reported.

Officers say a man was arrested following a police chase, which reportedly led to the driveway of another home, where officers found two more victims, one dead in a car and another dead in the roadway.

The suspect remains in custody.

“At this time, we believe he acted alone,” said Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves.

He said the shooter’s motive was “not yet known”.

“Please pray for the victims of this tragic violence and their families at this time,” Reeves added.

Tate County sheriff’s office also confirmed that a suspect was in custody.

One witness to the incident told Reuters how he tended to a man who was shot inside his car outside the store but that he was unresponsive.

The 18-year-old witness said he then drew his pistol on another man, who turned out to be the victim’s brother, who was injured.

Later, the witness said he spotted the suspect but decided not to shoot as “he was pulling off and I didn’t know who exactly it was and I didn’t want to hurt anybody”.

Arkabutla lies about 30 miles (50km) south of Memphis, Tennessee, and is home to 285 residents, according to the 2020 Census.

The town is located near to Arkabutla Lake, a reservoir that is a popular fishing and recreational destination.

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