US teen kills father, opens fire on schoolyard

A 14-year-old South Carolina boy shot and killed his father before driving to an elementary school playground where he wounded two children and a teacher with a handgun.

The suspect, whose name has not been released, was accused by police of fatally shooting his 47-year-old father, then driving a pickup truck about 3.2 km to Townville Elementary School where he crashed into a fence surrounding the playground.

After the teenager began shooting, volunteer firefighter Jamie Brock pinned him down while staff led children to safety inside the building, Anderson County emergency services director Taylor Jones told a news conference.

Police reportedly arrived within seven minutes of a teacher calling the emergency line.

The shooter never entered the building, according to chief deputy Keith Smith.

Authorities do not know the motivation of the shooting but ruled out race as both the shooter and victims were white.

US schools have taken added security precautions since 2012 when a gunman shot and killed 20 children and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.