A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and wounded a colleague in the agency's office in a Los Angeles suburb on Thursday before a third agent opened fire, killing the gunman, authorities said.

Photo illustration, Photo: Internet

The wounded agent was taken to a hospital in Long Beach, not far from the ICE offices in a federal building, where doctors said he was listed in stable condition following surgery and expected to survive.

Authorities described the shooting as an incidence of workplace violence that began as a dispute between two federal agents, but gave no details as to its origins.

"One agent fired several rounds at the other agent, wounding him," Steven Martinez, assistant director of the FBI's Los Angeles field office, told a news conference.

"At that time when that occurred, another agent intervened and fired his weapon," Martinez said. "This resulted in the death of the shooter."

The shooting, which Martinez described as an "isolated incident" that was still under investigation, erupted during rush hour near downtown Los Angeles and prompted police to shut down streets and a major intersection for more than an hour.

Local television images showed an ambulance rushing the injured agent to a nearby hospital accompanied by a police escort as law enforcement agents ringed the building.

"Our hearts go out to all of those affected by this tragedy," ICE Special Agent Claude Arnold said.

"At times like this, words honestly seem inadequate," he said. "We dedicate our lives to protecting the public and ... when something like this happens within our office it's incomprehensible."

Source: Reuters