Video footage purportedly showing police officers fatally shooting a black man in a wheelchair has sparked controversy in the United States.

The mobile phone footage of Wednesday's incident in Wilmington, Delaware, shows a police officer repeatedly shouting "Show me your hands!" at 28-year-old Jeremy McDole, who was sitting in a wheelchair on a street behind a car in broad daylight.

A single gunshot is fired and several other officers are then seen rushing to the scene.

It was not clear from the video whether the man, who did not raise his hands as ordered, actually had a gun in his possession.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.