A black man has been shot by US police after calling them out to his home to assist him and his wife with a robbery in Indiana.

Carl Williams, who lives in Indianapolis, rang the city's police department to say his wife had been assaulted by a black suspect with a rifle - but was then shot himself by the officer who arrived at the scene. In what the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) has called a "tragic incident", the 48-year-old was reportedly mistaken for his wife's assailant by a police officer with nine years' experience.

The shooting, which has left Mr Williams fighting for his life in hospital, is the latest in a series of similar incidents that have sparked a crisis in the US over race relations and police training.

"The officers involved were forced to make a split second decision based on the information and totality of the circumstances known at the time. The officer involved was a nine-year veteran of the east district late shift. Again this was tragic and unforeseen. I don't know of any officer who goes out wanting to get into a shootout with anyone, but especially not as in this case a homeowner."