Two people were killed and six others injured in a shooting attack in central Tel Aviv on Friday afternoon, Israeli police said.

A man opened automatic fire at a bar on Dizengoff Street in central Tel Aviv, then managed to escape from the scene. Large police forces are currently canvassing the nearby streets in search of the perpetrator.

Other than the two killed victims, two people suffered serious wounds, while three others were moderately wounded. One person was lightly wounded. They were evacuated to the Ichilov hospital in Tel Aviv and Belinson hospital in Petah Tikva, 10 km east of the city.

Yael Meidan, a resident of the city in her 30s, was sitting at a nearby coffeehouse when the attack occurred.

"The whole area was crowded, as it usually is on Friday at these hours," she told Xinhua.

"Suddenly we heard shots, I think there were a total of 10 or 15 of them, and someone ran into the coffeehouse and yelled at us to lay on the ground and take cover. I hid under a chair, we lay there for some time - I'm not sure how long exactly, it seemed like forever," she added.

Other eyewitnesses were quoted by Israeli media as saying they saw the suspect, a large man wearing a wool cap and a gray coat, running away from the scene of the attack.

Hilla Hemo, a spokeswoman for the Tel Aviv police district, told Xinhua that all motives are being examined and it is not clear whether the incident is related to the ongoing wave of violence between Palestinians and Israelis, in which 23 Israelis were killed in shooting, vehicular or stabbing attacks.

The spokeswoman added that as of now there are no instructions banning residents of the area from leaving their houses.

Source: XINHUA