An African American pastor in the US State of Ohio has been shot and killed during church service.

William B. Schooler, 70, was shot around 12:30 p.m. local time on Sunday at St. Peter's Missionary Baptist Church, Dayton police said.

The pastor with deep roots in the Dayton community is believed to have been killed by his brother, AP reported.

Police detained Daniel Gregory Schooler, 68, at the church and took him to the Montgomery County jail. He faces a murder charge on Monday.

They have no idea what led to the shooting but said the pastor was the only intended victim.

Joyce Napier, the niece of the brothers, told the Dayton Daily News that Daniel Schooler had a history of mental illness.

The late pastor used to preside over the Dayton school board and also headed the local Baptist ministers union.

He was a teacher in the Dayton school district in the 1970s and served as a principal in the Jefferson Township district for nearly two decades He also held other positions with community organizations and local governments.