Two women dead after gunman 'fires assault rifle at police' in hostage standoff

Two women were left dead after a gunman barricaded himself in a home with a hostage and shot at police.

The suspect fired at officers with an assault rifle from the property in Helena–West Helena, Arkansas, US, reports say.

The standoff started at around 4.30pm local time (10.30pm BST) on Tuesday.

Two women were lying in front of the home, although police were unable to retrieve their bodies because of the gunfire.

A witness told Fox 13 that the women were dead.

Two women were lying dead in front of the property that the gunman was holed up in (Luke Jones/WREG)

The gunman barricaded himself in a home in the area of North Washington Street and Bonanza (Google Maps)

Some news outlets reported that the women were shot.

SWAT teams were sent to the scene and set up a perimeter around the home, according to KAIT 8.

Officers fatally shot the gunman at 10.28pm local time, Fox 13 reports.