Police officials said the man, armed with a shot gun, was killed after he fired at officers with a rifle and tried to run them over with his sport utility vehicle in an effort to reach the WTLR network in the area of State College in the US state of Pennsylvania.
WTLR station manager Mark VanOuse told reporters that the station received a tip around 10 a.m. local time that someone armed with a shotgun was asking people for the address of the radio station and for money. Police got the same tip and went to the station, Center County District Attorney Michael Madeira said in a statement.
Officers intercepted the man as he arrived at the station, where he began shooting at police outside, ramming police cruisers and trying to run over officers on foot, The Associated Press (AP) news agency quoted witnesses as saying.
GUNFIRE EXCHANGE
After an exchange of gunfire, the suspect was shot dead in his white Ford Bronco, Madeira said. No one else was reportedly injured. Witnesses said they heard about 20 rounds of gunfire. "At least twice he fired from the car," said Brad Shearer, who watched from his office window across the street. AP quoted him as saying he saw the man try to run over police officers with their guns drawn.
"He was moving fast," VanOuse added. "He was blowing right past police cars with officers who had their rifles drawn." He said he did not know why the station was targeted. "There is nothing leading up to this point that would have given us any indication of someone being upset with us," VanOuse said.
It comes amid mounting concerns of shootings against Christian institutions in the United States, where people can relatively easy obtain fire arms.
