3 killed in Fresno, California, shooting spree

April 18 (Reuters) - A gunman opened fire in downtown Fresno, California, on Tuesday, killing three people before he was taken into custody, local media reported, citing police.

The suspect, identified as 39-year-old Kori Ali Muhammad, was also wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of a security guard at a Motel 6 in Fresno on Sunday, the Fresno Bee newspaper reported.

Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer said Muhammad had expressed a hatred for white people and shouted "Allahu Akhbar" as he was being taken into custody, the Bee reported.

Fresno is an agricultural hub in California's central valley, about 170 miles southeast of San Francisco.

The Bee reported that the gunman opened fire with a large-caliber handgun while cursing shortly before 11 a.m. near a Catholic Charities building.

County government buildings were placed on lockdown and residents were urged to shelter in place, according to the newspaper.

Local television images showed what appeared to be a body covered in a yellow tarp in a street near where police tape marked off several crime scenes. (Reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Richard Chang)