LATEST UPDATE:
A hospital official says a court officer has died after being wounded in a shooting at a Las Vegas federal building. A second officer is in serious condition.
The U.S. Marshals Service says the victims included a deputy U.S. marshal and a court security officer. It was not immediately known which of the officers died. Rick Plummer of University Medical Center in Las Vegas says the dead officer was 65 years old.
FBI Special Agent Joseph Dickey says the gunman died soon after the shootout that happened around 8 a.m.
Police and federal agents swarmed the multi-story building that houses federal courts and offices for officials including U.S. Sens. Harry Reid and John Ensign.
UPDATE:
The AP has announced:
Authorities say the gunman who shot two officers at a federal building in Las Vegas has been killed.
The U.S. Marshals Service says the victims included a deputy U.S. marshal and a court security officer. FBI Special Agent Joseph Dickey says the gunman died shortly after the shootout that happened around 8 a.m.
Police and federal agents swarmed the multi-story building that houses federal courts and offices for officials including U.S. Sens. Harry Reid and John Ensign.
The conditions of the officers and the identity of the shooter were not immediately known. Officials had initially said that both of the victims were marshals.
A court officer and a suspect died in a shooting this morning at the Lloyd George U.S. Courthouse, 333 Las Vegas Boulevard South. A second officer also was shot and transported to UMC. His condition is listed as serious, according to The Associated Press. _________ The Associated Press said a hospital official confirmed the court officer died at UMC; the officer was 65 years old. FBI Special Agent Joseph Dickey confirmed the suspect died at the scene.
Officials are clearing the federal courthouse and searching the building, Dickey said. Several downtown streets have been shut down and traffic is being diverted. The Las Vegas Academy, 315 S. 7th St., is on lockdown. The Regional Justice Courthouse also is on lockdown. Jon McGovern, who runs a hot dog stand outside the Courthouse Bar & Grill, said he was setting up the stand around 8 a.m. when he heard two or three "pops" in quick succession that were followed by other shots that "went in cycles." He said at least 30 to 40 rounds were fired. "It sounded like a fireworks show," McGovern said. He said that soon after the gunfire, about 30 to 40 people ran away from the shooting and down Lewis Avenue toward the restaurant shouting "Get down, get shelter." He didn't see law enforcement until three to five minutes after the shots were fired. "It was really bad reaction time, I thought," McGovern said.