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Gunman report sparks Nasa alert Gunman kills hostage at Nasa base
(30 minutes later)
The US space agency, Nasa, has evacuated a building at the Johnson Space Center in Houston after reports that a gunman had been seen. Police in the US city of Houston, Texas, say a gunman at the Nasa space centre has killed one hostage before killing himself.
A Houston police spokesman said the building was sealed off and that they believed a white male suspect, aged between 50 and 60, was inside. Capt Dwayne Ready said a second hostage was found at a building at the Johnson Space Center tied up with tape.
Capt Dwayne Ready said a Nasa employee had seen a man with a gun who had fired two shots. Police were called to the scene at about 1340 (1840 GMT) after a gunman was reported and two shots heard.
He said the suspect was thought to have one gun but they had not spoken to him. Capt Ready said an additional gunshot was heard as police were making contact with the suspect, a white male.
Capt Ready told reporters outside the building that he could not confirm if the suspect was still alive. A Nasa contractor, Jacobs Engineering, earlier told the BBC that one of its employees was involved in the incident.
Police were called to the scene, an engineering office known as Building 44, at about 1340 (1840 GMT).
A Nasa contractor, Jacobs Engineering, has told the BBC that one of its employees is involved in the incident.
The company said it was co-operating with police.
School securedSchool secured
The Houston police department told the BBC they had sent a helicopter, a canine unit and a special weapons team to the space centre.The Houston police department told the BBC they had sent a helicopter, a canine unit and a special weapons team to the space centre.
Negotiators are also on the scene and a bomb squad has been sent as a standard precaution. Negotiators were also on the scene and a bomb squad was sent as a standard precaution.
Building 44 houses communications equipment and engineering laboratories. The building, called Building 44, houses communications equipment and engineering laboratories.
The Johnson Space Center contains Nasa's mission control which oversees the agency's space flights.The Johnson Space Center contains Nasa's mission control which oversees the agency's space flights.
The centre's staff, numbering several thousand across the sprawling complex, were initially told to remain in their buildings but after several hours were allowed to leave the complex.The centre's staff, numbering several thousand across the sprawling complex, were initially told to remain in their buildings but after several hours were allowed to leave the complex.
An intermediate school near the building was also secured for several hours.An intermediate school near the building was also secured for several hours.
The alert comes less than a week after a gunman killed 32 students and teaching staff at Virginia Tech university before killing himself.The alert comes less than a week after a gunman killed 32 students and teaching staff at Virginia Tech university before killing himself.
The BBC's Adam Brookes in Washington says there has been a rash of security alerts across the US, which is also marking the eighth anniversary of the Columbine school massacre in which 15 people died.The BBC's Adam Brookes in Washington says there has been a rash of security alerts across the US, which is also marking the eighth anniversary of the Columbine school massacre in which 15 people died.
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