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Charleston shooting: At least one person shot as active hostage situation unfolds in South Carolina Charleston shooting: One dead and gunman shot after hostage situation in restaurant
(about 1 hour later)
Police in Charleston, South Carolina, have said they were responding to an active shooter who had taken several hostages in a restaurant. A hostage situation in Charleston has ended after a gunman was critically shot and wounded, according to reports.
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. Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg told reporters that several hostages had been freed after the assailant, whom the mayor had earlier referred to as a “disgruntled employee”, had been shot and was in critical condition. One person was shot and killed, Mr Tecklenburg told reporters.
"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. Police officers engaged for hours in a tense standoff with the still-unidentified shooter, who holed up with multiple hostages inside a downtown Charleston restaurant. A section of King Street, in the city's central commercial district, was blocked to cars and pedestrians.
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.”  Multiple local news outlets reported that the hostage-taker was a dishwasher who had worked at the restaurant and that the slain man was a chef. 
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.”“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.  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.” 
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.