Three people have been killed in a shooting at an ice rink in the US, authorities said.

The shooting happened at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, near Providence in Rhode Island, at around 2.30pm local time (7.30pm UK time) on Monday, where a youth hockey game was scheduled.

The suspect is among the three people who have died in what authorities said they believe was a "targeted" attack stemming from a family dispute.

The suspect appears to have died from a "potentially self-inflicted gun[shot] wound", Pawtucket Police chief Tina Goncalves said.

The two victims who were shot dead appear to have been adults, she added. One of them was found inside the arena, while the other died at a hospital.

Three other people sustained gunshot injuries and are in critical condition in hospital.

Ms Goncalves declined to give more details about the suspect or the victims while officers notified family members.

Tearful families and high school hockey players still in uniform could be seen hugging outside the arena after the shooting, while police cordoned off the ice rink.

Ms Goncalves said several people were inside the arena at the time of the shooting, which was caught on a live stream of the hockey game.

The teams on the ice were from Coventry-Johnston co-op - a cooperative team with members of more than one school - and St Raphael-Providence Country Day-North Providence-North Smithfield co-op, according to WJAR, an affiliate of Sky News' US partner network NBC.

All members of the Coventry hockey team are safe and accounted for, according to Coventry Public Schools of Rhode Island superintendent Don Cowart.

Officials for Johnston Public Schools, North Smithfield, North Providence, Providence Day and St Raphael Academy also said in statements that their students were safe.

Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee said in a post on X that state police are assisting local police at the scene.

"I am praying for Pawtucket and everyone involved," he added.