A gunman has killed three people and injured two others after opening fire in a village in southern Switzerland.

The man had reportedly been drinking heavily before the attack on Wednesday night and was armed with an assault rifle.

Police at the scene of the shooting in the village of Daillon exchanged fire with the man and wounded him before he was arrested.

The unnamed suspect was taken to hospital but none of the officers was hurt.

“Three victims died at the scene. Two other people were wounded and hospitalised,” said police in the canton of Valais, which borders Italy and France.

Journalist Helena Humphrey, from World Radio Switzerland, told Sky News the man, in his 30s, was a local resident and is thought to have opened fire from his balcony.

The reason for the attack was not immediately clear.

Many Swiss keep assault rifles at home because they are part of the country’s militia army.

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