A five-year-old boy has died in a gun battle as his family were driving away from a park north of St Louis, Missouri.

Police spokesman John Green said gunfire erupted from a sport utility vehicle that pulled up alongside the family's minivan at O'Fallon Park last night.

The child's father, who was driving the minivan, returned fire before the SUV drove off.

Mr Green said the child was pronounced dead in hospital.

A 15-year-old boy and an older male passenger in the minivan are in a stable condition after being injured in the shooting. The child's parents were not injured.

No arrests have been made.

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