Hostage Situation at Discovery Channel Headquarters. Update: MSNBC Says Gunman “Shot to Death”

Our sister site Mediaite brings to our attention a hostage situation unfolding at The Discovery Channel‘s Silver Springs, Maryland headquarters: A man equipped with a gun — and possibly with explosives — is preventing people in the building from leaving. NBC reports that the suspect is named James Jay Lee, and that the man had a history of protest against the Discovery Channel.

Making matters more bizarre, the protester has apparently posted an online manifesto directed towards the Discovery Channel, in which he says that the human population must be decreased by “stopping the human race from breeding any more disgusting human babies,” pinning the responsibility for this on the Discovery Channel, and writes that “Saving the environment and the remaning species diversity of the planet is now your mindset. Nothing is more important than saving them. The Lions, Tigers, Giraffes, Elephants, Froggies, Turtles, Apes, Raccoons, Beetles, Ants, Sharks, Bears, and, of course, the Squirrels.”

Scary situation, and we hope that it reaches a peaceful resolution and that nobody gets hurt. Full scoop at Mediaite.

Update: MSNBC reports that the suspected gunman has been shot and killed.

(pic via TDW)