Gunman Holds Hostage at Discovery Channel HQ
The headquarters of Discovery Communications in Silver Spring, Md. is under lockdown after a gunman entered the building. Witnesses have reported that the man has fired multiple shots and may have explosives, though police have not confirmed those details.
Montgomery County, Md. police, SWAT teams, and explosives experts are on the scene and have set up a perimeter of roughly 200 yards around the building. Police have confirmed that the man is holding at least one hostage.
ABC affiliate WJLA in Washington, DC is reporting that the gunman is an Asian man and may be a former Discovery employee.
"A man entered the lobby and may have fired a weapon and declared, 'Nobody is going anywhere,'" Montgomery County police told WJLA. Witnesses said they
Police are trying to establish contact with the suspect. A person inside the building tells The Associated Press the man had something strapped to his chest and has hostages.
A day care facility in the building has been safely evacuated. Adults have also been seen fleeing the building, covering their heads.
In addition to its flagship Discovery Channel on cable telvision, Discovery Communications owns several Discovery spinoffs, TLC, Animal Planet and non-TV science and education related businesses.
The Discovery building was part of a major redevelopment of once-troubled Silver Spring during the 1990s.
Copyright The Associated Press - All rights reserved
