2 men shot outside venue of Prophet Muhammad cartoon conference

A conference on cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in Dallas has gone gone awry after 2 gunmen were hot dead outside the conference venue.

BBC reports that the pair drove to the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland as the event was ending, and began shooting at a security officer before being killed by police.

About 200 people had been attending the Muhammad Art Exhibit when, shortly before it was due to finish at 1900 (0000 GMT), they were told of a shooting outside.

The event, organised by the American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI), which is run by controversial blogger and activist Pamela Geller, and is listed as an anti-Muslim group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, a civil rights group, included a contest for drawings of the Prophet, offering a $10,000 (about N1.9 million) prize for a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad.

The controversial nature of the event prompted security to be high around the centre, moreso as the event included Dutch anti-Islamic politician Geert Wilders as one of the keynote speakers.

Despite everything, Garland Police Department spokesman Joe Harn said there had been no credible threats in advance, and it was not immediately clear if the shootings were related to the event.

According to Garland Mayor Douglas Athas, the "first suspect was shot immediately" while "the second suspect was wounded and reached for his backpack. He was shot again."

An injured security officer, Bruce Joiner was taken to hospital after being shot in the ankle, but was later released.

Meanwhile, local police have said they have not been yet able to identify the gunmen, whose bodies remain by the car while the bomb squad inspects it for explosives.