Two victims have died after a gunman opened fire at the US Joint Base Pearl Harbour-Hickam in Hawaii, with a third person suffering non life-threatening injuries.

The shooting came just three days before the anniversary of the December 7, 1941 attack on the naval base that led the US to enter World War II by declaring war on Japan.

Joint Base Pearl Harbour-Hickam said on Twitter that the three shot victims were all civilians working for the US Department of Defence.

Hawaii News Now reported a US Navy sailor shot three civilian workers before fatally turning the gun on himself.

Governor David Ige took to social media to say the White House had reached out to offer assistance from federal agencies.

Governor Ige expressed his “heartbreak” over the tragedy, and said he joined in “solidarity with the people of Hawai‘i as we express our heartbreak over this tragedy and concern for those affected by the shooting.

“Details are still emerging as security forces at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam investigate,” he wrote.

“I join in solidarity with the people of Hawaii as we express our heartbreak over this tragedy and concern for those affected by the shooting.”

Gov. David Ige: "I join in solidarity with the people of Hawai‘i as we express our heartbreak over this tragedy and concern for those affected by the shooting." https://t.co/TNk6jCzHqx pic.twitter.com/iOHA2UXhkP

— Hawaii News Now (@HawaiiNewsNow) December 5, 2019

The shooting began about 2.30pm Wednesday (local time) and the naval shipyard in went into lockdown for two hours, urging people over a loudspeaker to take shelter until the suspected shooter was “secured”.

A spokesman told Hawaii New Now the situation at Drydock 2 had been “contained” and a witness said he saw the gunman fatally shoot himself.

The gunman was wearing a US Navy uniform, the witness told the station.

The base posted on social media on Thursday with an update: “JBPHH security forces have responded to a reported shooting at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard”.

“The incident occurred at approximately 2:30 p.m. Due to the ongoing security incident, access/gates to #JBPHH are closed.”

A base spokeswoman confirmed that a shooting had taken place but declined to give more details.

Joint Base Pearl Harbour-Hickam is a combined US Air Force and Navy Installation 13 kilometres from Honolulu.

A White House spokesman said President Donald Trump had been briefed on the shooting.

-with agencies