THREE men wearing all black have reportedly emerged from the woods surrounding a US high school and opened fire, wounding at least three students.

Police arrived at the scene near Brashear High School in the Pennsylvania city of Pittsburgh and began searching surrounding woodland. Their attention was soon diverted to a nearby suburban home.

Three men wearing all black reportedly came out of the woods and opened fire on a group of students, a homicide detective reportedly told local news agency WPXI news.

Police later said three men were reported shooting toward the school from a hill above. Other sources, including the school, maintain there was only one shooter.

Six people have since been taken into police custory, including five "young men" and a woman with a baby. They surrendered themselves after police surrounded their house not far from the school.

A Pittsburgh Public Schools spokeswoman said all three students were shot near the high school as they were walking to a vehicle.

One of the wounded returned to the school, where he was pulled inside and the emergency lock-down initiated.

Police helicopters, dogs and tactical response teams have swarmed to the area.



It is understood the wounded were three school students, including two 17-year-olds and one 16-year-old. One had a bullet graze to the head, one was shot in the neck and shoulder, while another received wounds to the leg and foot, reports suggest.

One is in a critical condition.

School security said today's incident may have been related to a drug-related incident at the school in October, which prompted heightened security for about a week.

School board member Sherry Hazuda told Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that her backyard abuts the woods where the suspect or suspects were being sought. Her district includes Brashear.



"It's horrible," she said, adding, "I am praying for the kids. They need to be OK ... It's just sad."

The school is one of the largest in the region with 2000 students.

Nick LoRusso, of Beechview, said he was standing in his backyard two streets uphill from Brashear when he heard a boom and what he said sounded like seven or eight shots from a semi-automatic weapon. Then he heard sirens.