Police on hunt for gunman who shot dead two in Swiss town of Sion

As many as two people were killed while another was injured during a shooting incident in the southern Swiss town of Sion on Monday (Dec 11), according to a Reuters report. The police are currently on the lookout for the gunman who remains on the run.

According to the initial police version, the gunman firedshots at people intwo distinct locations before 8 am local time (0700 GMT). Local media said the shots were fired at a paint company's premises and at another location.

"Two people were killed and another was injured," police said, adding that the shooter's motive and his identity remained unknown at this stage.

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The public has been urged not to approach or confront the gunman by the police who have described him as a "dangerous" individual.

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The police, however, added that the shooter may have known the victims.The Wallis public prosecutor's office has launched a murder investigation.

Switzerland, one of the richest countries in the world on a per-capita basis, has a high rate of gun ownership.Small Arms Survey, aSwiss-based organisation that monitors global trends in armed violence, estimates the number of firearms in civilian possession at 2.3 million.

Notably, Switzerland has remained free from mass shootings since 2001 when a man stormed the local parliament in Zug and killed 14 before taking his own life. However, since then, the European nation has seen a murder rate concerning guns that is almost zero.

(More to follow)