Nashville church shooting: One dead and six injured after gunman opens fire

A woman has died and at least six other people have been injured after a gunman opened fire at a church in the US.

Officials said the woman died in the car park and paramedics treated at least six wounded church-goers after the shooting in Nashville on Sunday morning.

All of the wounded but one were over 60 years old and were taken to nearby hospitals, Joseph Pleasant, a Nashville Fire Department spokesman, said.

At about 11.40am local time, the suspect fatally shot the woman as she was walking to her car before entering the rear of the church and opening fire.

The church pastor was shot in the chest, according to the WKRN television news channel.

The gunman, who was aged in his mid-20s, was also wounded. He struck a church-goer who confronted him with the pistol before shooting himself. He was also taken to hospital, according to officials.

The church is in Antioch, about 10 miles (16 km) southeast of downtown Nashville in the state of Tennessee.