WASHINGTON, April 28 (Xinhua) -- At least one person was killed and seven others injured in a shooting in Baltimore in the U.S. state of Maryland on Sunday afternoon, the authorities confirmed.

A gunman approached two cookouts in West Baltimore and began firing indiscriminately into the crowd, striking several men and women, Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison told the Baltimore Sun newspaper.

While the shooting was near two churches in the area, Harrison said it did not have any connection to planned events at the two locations.

According to Harrison, one man ran toward the Perkins Square Baptist Church and was later found dead. Six of the injured were taken to hospitals. A police spokeswoman said that an eighth victim, an adult man, walked into a hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg.

There was evidence to suggest someone shot back, but officers were still piecing together the events, Harrison added.

Baltimore Police spokeswoman Chakia Fennoy said the authorities received a call shortly after 5 p.m. (2100 GMT) Sunday reporting that multiple people had been shot.