Switzerland gunman kills three in Daillon in Valais

A gunman has opened fire in a village in Switzerland, killing three people and wounding two others according to Swiss police.

The attack took place on Wednesday evening at around 21:00 (20:00 GMT) in the village of Daillon in Valais canton, 100km (60 miles) east of Geneva.

The gunman had reportedly been drinking heavily before the shooting, and was armed with an assault rifle

Police did not name the arrested man, whom witnesses identified to local media as a 30-year-old Daillon resident.

Police dispatched to the scene arrested a suspect who was shot and wounded after he threatened them.

"Three victims died at the scene," said Valais police. "Two other people were wounded and hospitalised."

They had rushed to the village after calls reporting that several people were lying in the street after a spate of gunfire.

His motives were still unclear, police spokesman Jean-Marie Bornet said on Thursday

"At the moment there is incomprehension and shock here in Valais," he said.

"The toll is very, very heavy. It's a sombre start to the year for the canton."

Bornet added that darkness had hampered police efforts to detain the suspect.

"It wasn't easy to intervene in the darkness. The gunman turned his weapon on the officers, who had to shoot him in order not to be injured themselves."

Nathalie Frizzi, an eyewitness who lives close to the scene of the shooting, told local daily Le Nouvelliste she had been walking her dog when she heard loud bangs.

"There were people running around near the chapel," she is quoted as saying.

"At first I didn't realise what was going. I thought children were shooting at cats and I called out for them to stop. I am still shocked that I could have been hit by a bullet."

Police have cordoned off the village and an investigation is under way.

Gun attacks are rare in Switzerland, but shooting is a very popular sport in the country and the level of gun ownership is high.

There are an estimated two to three million guns in circulation, although no-one knows the exact number because there is no national firearms register.

In addition to the semi-automatic assault rifle that all those serving in the army store at home, there are thousands of hunting rifles and pistols.

Most towns and villages having a shooting club that meets for target practice at least once a week.

The BBC is reporting that it is believed the weapon used was a standard-issue Swiss army assault rifle.