JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Phoenix-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. says unknown gunmen killed three people near its mine in eastern Indonesia, where thousands of striking workers are demanding higher pay.

Company spokesman Ramdani Sirait says one contract worker and two nonemployees were shot Friday. Police are investigating.

The Grasberg mine — which holds some of the largest gold and copper reserves in the world — is located in the remote mountains of Papua province.

Ninety percent of its 12,000 workers walked off the job Sept. 15, demanding salaries of between $2.10 to $3.50 an hour be pushed as high as $33.

Last week, two workers were shot by police trying to control a crowd and three were killed by unknown gunmen.