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Police are hunting a mystery serial killer thought to be behind a spate of shooting deaths in the US.

Seven people have been shot dead in separate incidents in Phoenix, Arizona, in the last few months, authorities said.

The first incident occurred on March 17 when a 16-year-old boy was shot and wounded while walking in the street around 11.30pm.

The following night, a 21-year-old man was also shot and injured.

(Image: NBC NEWS)

The death of a 55-year-old woman in April and the shooting of an unoccupied vehicle in June were linked to a string of gun attacks in the Phoenix metro area, police said.

(Image: NBC NEWS)

The same suspect or suspects are also believed to be responsible for fatally shooting three women in front of a home and the killing of two men in separate incidents in June, and the fatal shooting of a man in April.

Many of the shootings have occurred in west Phoenix and all of the incidents have occurred at night.

(Image: Phoenix police department)

Phoenix Police Chief Joseph Yahner said: "Someone out there knows who did this."

Authorities have released a sketch of the suspect, described by witnesses as a light-skinned Latino or white man in his 20s.