At 3:53 p.m. CDT police conference: Three people were taken hostage in the lobby. James Lee was shot about ten minutes ago. A device went off. There was some smoke. All hostages are released and safe.
4:47 p.m. CDT James J. Lee or James Jay Lee is dead according to Shep Smith at Fox News
James J. Lee or James Jay Lee
The man in the left photo above is identified by Thaindian News. The photo on the right is provided by Fox News.
Shep is reading a report that says James J. Lee watched Al Gore's Inconvenient Truth and believed he was not doing all he should be doing to save the earth. He also read a book, Ishmael, or the sequel, My Ishmael, by Daniel Quinn, about "gorillas in captivity," and Lee had an "awakening." In the trial, he said he wants a new industrial revolution where we care for the planet better, according to Fox.
A Discovery Channel employee, Marsy Shattuck spoke with Shep Smith on Fox, saying the people in the building knew this man. About a year or more ago he organized a protest outside the building. He advertised in newspapers and paid homeless people to hold signs and walk in front of the building. Part of that report comes from Catherine Herridge from Fox.
James Jay Lee protesting outside the Discovery Channel Building about 2 years ago
People were reported lying on floor of the Discovery Channel lobby in Silver Springs, Maryland. A later report says people can be seen milling around inside the lobby.
At 2:02 p.m. CDT Marsy Shattuck is on Fox News with Shep Smith. Shattuck was on the 5th floor when an announcement was made for employees to lock themselves into a office. Later they were told evacuate.
Police this minute 2:15 p.m. CDT says Lee entered the building wearing silver or metallic cannisters strapped to his body. They believe a few hostages are inside the building. Most of the employees inside Discovery Channel building are safely outside. Police said there are 1900 employees who work inside the building, but only a small number of hostages.
Eye witness said he/she "saw people coming of the building in waves." An eye witness said she heard two gun shots. Another report says one shot was fired.
Fox is showing small children being removed from the building in small cribs - apparently from a day care facility inside the building.
It is believed that the man with the explosives tried to organize a protest about two years ago outside of the Discovery Channel building. Joke among us. ads in newspaper, no one showed up for protest. He wanted Discovery to do more to "save the planet."
Shep Smith is reading a report that James J. Lee was found guilty in 2008 of loitering. At the time he threw thousands of dollars in dollar bills into the air, and accused Discovery of not spending money wisely on projects. He was also charged with littering, but was not found guilty. Lee has given thousands of dollars to people who wrote short essays on Saving the Planet.
At 2:25 p.m. CDT police are confirming one hostage, believed to be a security guard. Police are cannot confirm that a shot or shots were fired.
At 2:44 p.m. CDT from Catherine Herridge: Two pipe bombs and four cannisters were seen on him. One was identified as a gas you can use for "soldering." Lee was holding a stapler with a red blinking light on top. Police say this is perhaps similar to a "dead man's switch" which is a force multiplier with the explosives. They listened in on his phone line and he cut the contact.
At 2:45 p.m. CDT Shep is reporting there is a massive law enforcement presence outside the Discovery Building.
At 2:55 p.m. CDT Shep says all schools in the area are on lock-down.
At 2:57 p.m. CDT we are awaiting a press briefing scheduled to begin 7 minutes ago, by the Montgomery County Marland police.
Begin conversation with Lee's brother-in-law, Thomas Leonard: At 3:01 p.m. CDT Neal Cavuto is on the phone with James J. Lee's brother in law, Thomas Leonard. Leonard is married to Lee's sister. Leonard said Lee has been unstable and disagreeable personality with erratic behavior - emotional outbursts. Lack of respect for any authority, be it family or civil authority. Lee has been abusive and hurtful to the family who loves him and has tried to get him help over the years. He has often been alienated from family. After some deaths in the family his "spirit took a nosedive" and he turned "darker." Lee has been an artist - did some work in Los Angeles maybe for movie stuff." He was incarcerated for a few years in LA or San Diego.
More from Thomas Leonard: The deaths in the family were his mother, Amy, who raised him as a single parent along with her father, who was the patriarch of the family and very respected. It impacted him tremendously. Living in the shadow of some of his siblings success he was perhaps one of the most talented but misguided person. Incredibly bright. A few years back he claimed to have a life threatening illness, which was not true - it was a scam and he was fishing for money. He asked the family to give him money for treatments for a terminal illness.
More from Thomas Leonard: I believe that everybody in the family just doesn't know what to do to help him, and he was reluctant and ungrateful for any help. He had every opportunity to live a decent respectable life. Leonard knows of no violent incidences with Lee. The entire family has been alienated from him for a number of years. Leonard said he expected when Lee did become entirely desperate, he expected to find Lee at his door - in other words, he thought Lee might come for him first. He believes that Lee is capable of committing murder. He is capable of committing suicide.
More from Thomas Leonard: If the grandfather was still around, he would 'hang' him.
At 3:10 p.m. CDT Fox has updated their website, saying police have been talking to Lee for almost two hours via telephone. Another police press conference is expected at 5:00 p.m. EDT.
Authorities will not give the location of the suspect in the building, or how many hostages there are. They will only confirm that there is a small number of hostages.At 3:21 p.m. CDT Fox is reporting "hostages" being held, not a "hostage." Catherine Herridge is now talking about the "dead man's switch," which may be the stapler with the red light on it. Police have told her, if this is a "dead man's switch," it use is to detonate if the the person holding it is shot.
At 3:32 p.m. CDT a person near the building says the security perimeter surrounds most of the the City of Silver Springs and people are caught in restaurants, etc. and cannot get out.
At 3:53 p.m. CDT police conference: Three people were taken hostage in the lobby. James Lee was shot about ten minutes ago. A device went off. There was some smoke. All hostages are released and safe. They believe there are no injuries. James Lee is in police custody. His James condition is unknown.
4:47 p.m. CDT James J. Lee or James Jay Lee is dead according to Shep Smith at Fox News
James J. Lee Holds Hostage at Discovery Channel Building
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