A man has been shot dead and two officers have been wounded in a shoot-out at a Walmart store in Chandler, Arizona, officials say.

The shooting took place on Saturday after a trespassing suspect opened fire on the officers who shot back, killing the suspect.

The suspect was identified as 24-year-old Mitchell Oakley, who was homeless with a family living in the Chandler area.

The incident began when Oakley was recognized by a Walmart employee who then called police, asking for help.

The officers arrived at the scene and they were approaching the man, when he opened fire on them.

"As they approached, they were shot multiple times within a matter of seconds. A seemingly routine call turned into a deadly encounter within a split second,” Chandler Police Chief Sean Duggan said at a news conference.

Both of the officers were hospitalized and while one of them was shot in the face and needed surgery, the other was released from the hospital.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), firearms kill more than 33,000 people in the US every year, a number that includes accidental discharge, murder and suicides.

Polls show an overwhelming majority of Americans, including 84 percent of gun owners, believe background checks are necessary for gun purchases made at gun shows or online.