One of two police officers who was shot on Thursday morning in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania has died, a coroner has said.

Police said the incident began at 3.14am, local time, after a domestic dispute was reported on Woodcrest Road.

Trooper Melinda Bondarenka told reporters the officers were "ambushed upon their arrival" and shot straight away.

The dead officer was identified as 52-year-old Scott Leslie Bashioum.

People have been told to stay inside their homes while police search for the attacker.


SWAT teams have been seen close to at least two homes in the area.

Police have not given any information about the attacker.

"Obviously, it's very sketchy. At this point, it's still an active scene in search of the shooter," Washington County Coroner Tim Warco told Pittsburgh radio station KDKA.

The condition of the second officer, who was flown about 20 miles to a hospital in the Pittsburgh area, has not been made public.