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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Charleston shooting: At least one person shot as active hostage situation unfolds in South Carolina | Charleston shooting: At least one person shot as active hostage situation unfolds in South Carolina |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Police in Charleston, South Carolina, have said they were responding to an active shooter who had taken several hostages in a restaurant. | |
| A section of King Street, in the city's central commercial district, was blocked to cars and pedestrians because of the situation, Charleston Police spokesman Charles Francis said in a statement, and the police are reportedly treating the incident as an active hostage situation. At least one person has been shot. | |
| "We know the shooter is still in the building with several hostages, right now we have hostage negotiators trying to negotiate with the shooter," Mr Francis said during a press briefing later. As he spoke, gunshots could be heard, but Mr Francis did not explain the noise. | |
| The Post and Courier of Charleston quoted diners from a restaurant who recounted a man entering with a pistol and saying “I am the new king of Charleston”. Other witnesses told the newspaper the gun-toting man said “There's a new boss in town.” | |
| The city's mayor said the shooter was likely a “disgruntled employee,” according to the Post and Courier. | The city's mayor said the shooter was likely a “disgruntled employee,” according to the Post and Courier. |
| “This was not an act of terrorism,” said Mayor John Tecklenburg earlier in the day. “This was not a hate crime.” | |
| Mr Tecklenburg did not have the condition of the person shot, and said he didn't know how many hostages remained inside the restaurant. | |
| Bomb squad members and SWAT team officers both arrived at the scene, according to a reporter for the Post and Courier. | Bomb squad members and SWAT team officers both arrived at the scene, according to a reporter for the Post and Courier. |
| Another reporter shared an image of what seemed to be a sniper in position. | Another reporter shared an image of what seemed to be a sniper in position. |