At least six policemen in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were wounded in an unidentified shooting, US media reported.

Police in the city are pursuing the suspect and continue to be deployed around the area where the shooting took place, asking residents not to approach.

The injured were rushed to Temple University Hospital and ambulances were seen rushing to the scene.

Al-Jazeera correspondent Mohammed al-Ahmed said a regular police patrol was on a routine mission in an area where drug gangs were active when they were surprised by heavy gunfire from an unknown source.

He added that large numbers of police immediately chased the shooter or shooters at the patrol, and asked residents to stay in their homes until the circumstances of the incident.