Three killed after shooting in New York club

shooting
New York police are investigating a shooting at a nightclub that has claimed at least three lives. -AP

Three people are dead and others wounded after a shooting in a crowded New York City club.

Investigators believe a shooter or shooters opened fire with multiple weapons at Taste of the City Lounge in the Brooklyn neighbourhood of Crown Heights early on Sunday morning.

The incident following a dispute, New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch told reporters.

"It's a terrible shooting that occurred in the city of New York," Tisch said at a news briefing.

She said officers are investigating at least 36 shell casings from the lounge, as well as a firearm that was discovered in a nearby street.

Those injured, believed to be eight men and three women, were being treated at hospitals for non-life-threatening injuries.

The shooting comes amid a record low year for gun violence in New York City

"I mean, we have the lowest numbers of shooting incidents and shooting victims seven months into the year that we've seen on record in the city of New York," Tisch said.

"Something like this is, of course, thank God an anomaly and it's a terrible thing that happened this morning, but we're going to investigate and get to the bottom of what went down."