It was not immediately clear who was targeted in the Saturday morning shootings in Champlin and Brooklyn Park, Minn. The police said the gunman may be wearing body armor and impersonating an officer.

A shelter-in-place order has been issued near Minneapolis in the US state of Minnesota after targeted shootings overnight, local authorities said. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said on Saturday morning local time that "targeted shootings" took place in Champlin and Brooklyn Park, two neighbouring cities near Minneapolis.

"The Minnesota Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement are on the scene. We will share more information soon," Walz said. More information about the locations of the shootings or any injuries or deaths was not immediately available.