While trying to serve a warrant on an accused of domestic violence, three police officers have been shot dead in the US state of Kentucky.

The suspect was takeintoto custody after the incident. Floyd County Sheriff John Hunt said the officers had confronted "pure hell" when they entered the man's home. In addition, four other people were wounded at the scene in Allen, a small town in a hilly part of eastern Kentucky with a population of just 166.

The men ran into a storm of gunfire from a rifle when they went to the house on Main Street shortly before 19:00 local time (midnight GMT).

The shooting proceeded for nearly three hours before suspect Lance Storz was taken into custody, having surrendered after negotiations involving members of his family.

He has been indicted on two counts of murdering a police officer, five counts of attempted murder of a police officer, one count of attempted murder and one count of first-degree assault on a service animal.

The officers who died in the shooting late on Thursday have been named as Capt Ralph Frasure, Deputy William Petry and dog handler Jacob Chaffins.

K9 Drago, one of the dogs, Chaffins were handled and also died. Capt Frasure had been with the Prestonsburg, Kentucky, Police Department for 39 years. The department said he had served "with honor and glory up until the last second."

Source: The Guardian.