A fatal shooting has taken place at a supermarket in the eastern U.S. state of New Jersey, according to BBC News.

Local media and police officials said three people died in the incident, reportedly including the gunman.

The shooting happened in the early hours of Friday, Aug 31 in Old Bridge, a suburb about 25 miles (40km) from New York. The Pathmark grocery shop was closed at the time but several workers were inside stacking shelves in preparation for opening.

Old Bridge Mayor Owen Henry told the local Asbury Park Press that the gunman was thought to be a disgruntled worker and described him as an ex-marine.

The gunman entered the store around 04:00 local time (8:00 GMT) and shot two people, before turning the gun on himself, according to reports.

Police evacuated the shop after the shooting and several of the employees were taken across the road to a TGI Friday's restaurant.

The shooting is the latest in a series of firearm incidents in the US. Earlier this month a man opened fire at a Sikh temple in the state of Wisconsin, killing six people before police shot him in the abdomen. The gunman then killed himself, the FBI concluded.

Weeks earlier, another gunman killed 12 people during a screening of the new Batman film at a cinema in Aurora, Colorado.