Washington - A 42-year-old man shot and killed a shop employee in a shopping centre in the US town of Knoxville in the state of Tennessee on Thursday before being disarmed by police.

According to media reports, the gunman opened fire after an argument with the 29-year-old victim.

The shooting prompted a panic in the shopping centre, with hundreds of people fleeing. When the police arrived at the scene, the victim was dead.

The shooter held several other customers hostage for around an hour before police stormed the shop and disabled him with gunshot wounds to the leg and arm.

According to Knoxnews.com, Konxville police said that the name of the 42-year-old is William Johnson. He shot Ahmed Nah, linside the Reno Mens Wear store on the mall's first floor.

William Johnson was taken to the the University of Tennessee Medical Center with wounds police said didn't appear to be life-threatening.