Sept. 2: A radical environmentalist, who stormed the Discovery Channel’s headquarters with explosives strapped to his body and took three people hostage at gunpoint, was shot dead by the police after a four-hour dramatic standoff at the building in a suburb of Washington in the US.

The three hostages rescued by the police were unhurt during Wednesday’s siege of the channel’s headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland. The gunman was identified as 43-year-old James Lee, an Asian-American who was against the programmes shown by Discovery, which is known for its wildlife documentaries. It all began around 1 pm local time on Wednesday, when Lee entered the building with a bomb strapped to his chest, the police said. The gunman, who also had explosive devices in his backpack, then took three people hostage and asked others not to leave the building.

The police cordoned off the area and evacuated other parts of the building. About 100 children in a day care centre at the building were safely moved to a nearby location. Meanwhile, the police started negotiations with Lee, who demanded that the Discovery Channel “must broadcast to the world their commitment to save the planet.”