At least three people died as a gunman opened fire on them in a suspected racially motivated attack in the Jacksonville region of the US state of Florida on Saturday.

The man, described as white and in his early 20s, entered a Dollar General store and opened fire, triggering a standoff with police, reports BBC.

According to reports, the gunman killed himself following the attack.

“This shooting was racially motivated and he hated Black people,” Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said at a news conference early Saturday evening as quoted by CNN.

The attacker was reportedly carrying a lightweight semi-automatic rifle and a handgun.

The FBI has opened a civil rights investigation into the shooting, which it is treating as a hate crime, reports BBC.

Interestingly, the attack took place close to the historically black Edwards Waters University.

In a statement provided to the BBC's US partner, CBS News, Dollar General said it was "heartbroken by the senseless act of violence that occurred at our Kings Road store", adding that "supporting our Jacksonville employees and the DG family impacted by this tragedy is a top priority as we work closely with law enforcement".