Michigan shooting: 2 deputies and gunman killed

An inmate being moved from a holding cell shot and killed two law enforcement officers at a courthouse in the US state of Michigan.

The officers, known as bailiffs in the US, provide security for courthouses.

The inmate, who was due in court, grabbed an officer`s gun during a scuffle and opened fire, Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey said.

People in the courthouse took shelter before other officers shot and killed the inmate, Mr Bailey said.

A deputy sheriff and another person were also wounded and were taken to hospital, where they are in a stable condition.

The inmate was not identified, and Mr Bailey did not say what charges he was facing. The shooting occurred is in the resort town of St Joseph - about 100 miles (160km) northeast of Chicago.

Mr Bailey called the deaths of his colleagues ‘terrible’. ‘Our hearts are torn apart. ... I have known them for over 30 years. It’s a sad day,’ he said.