Star of The Wire in 'real gun battle'

At least one person was killed and two more were injured when a baby shower hosted by an actor from the TV show The Wire turned into a deadly gun battle in New York yesterday.

Jamie Hector, who plays the violent, cold-blooded gangster Marlo Stanfield in the Baltimore cop drama was holding the party to celebrate his wife's pregnancy, when an assailant opened fire on guests.

Police said they found almost 50 bullet cases and that one man died at the scene.

As guests fled and emergency services were called, the attacker allegedly followed other victims to the hospital where he continued to shoot at them.

It is not clear whether Hector, 33, was still at the event when the incident occurred around 1am. The actor, who became famous for playing a callous drug dealer who ordered hits to protect his business, also appeared in the US show Heroes.

A police source told the New York Daily News, "What a gun battle, they have been watching too much TV".

It was reported that Linton Williams, 17, of Brooklyn was killed. A second victim, Andrew Filson, 32, was followed to Downstate Medical Centre where another round of bullets were fired, leaving him in critical condition.

Lisa Bruce, 35, a neighbour, heard shots and saw a victim clutching his leg and screaming "I'm shot, I'm shot". She said: "He was shouting and telling someone he needed help. Then the ambulance came and he limped out of the bushes and took him away."