Three people have been killed and two injured in a shooting at a mall food court in Indiana after a man with a rifle opened fire.

The man entered Greenwood Park Mall and began firing, fatally injuring three people before eventually being killed himself by an armed civilian, police say.

Officers went to the mall at about 6pm local time after the alarm was raised.

Authorities are searching the mall for any other victims, but it is believed the shooting was contained to the food court.

“We are sickened by yet another type of incident like this in our country,” Indianapolis Assistant Chief of Police Chris Bailey said.

Greenwood is a south suburb of Indianapolis with a population of about 60,000.

Mayor Mark Myers asked for “prayers to the victims and our first responders.”

“This tragedy hits at the core of our community,” he said in a statement.