Gunman shot dead after hostage bid at Estonia defence ministry
Tallinn police storm building and kill unidentified gunman as he
tried to take hostages Estonian police outside the Defence
Ministry in Tallinn Armed Tallinn police outside the defence
ministry. An unidentified gunman was shot dead inside earlier.
Photograph: Ho/Reuters  A gunman opened fire inside Estonia's
defence ministry and tried to take staff hostage on Thursday,
but was shot dead by police who stormed the building, an
official said.  The attacker entered the ministry in downtown
Tallinn at midday, threw a smoke bomb, fired shots and tried to
kidnap two employees, but police quickly evacuated the building
and officers wearing bulletproof gear entered it, officials
said.  Defence minister Mart Laar was not there at the time,
ministry spokesman Hannes Kont told The Associated Press.
Footage showed several ministry employees climbing out of a
first-floor window and jumping to safety while police cordoned
off the area.  Hasse Svens, a journali