Virginia's On King Former Employee Kills 1, Holds Popular Charleston Restaurant Hostage After Allegedly Being Fired

Active Shooter Situation Resolved on King Street pic.twitter.com/5ph29DkpvK

— Charleston P.D. (@CharlestonPD) August 24, 2017

CNN reported that a “disgruntled employee” went into the Virginia’s on King restaurant he formerly worked for, and began opening fire, Thursday in Charleston, South Carolina.

There has been one reported death, with another critically wounded, as the shooter held the restaurant hostage.

A suspect was shot, and transported to a hospital, as the hostages were released from the restaurant.

At around 2:30 p.m. ET, there was a reported “loud boom,” in the King St. area, and police quickly surrounded the area, blocking it off, and keeping people away.

King Street in Charleston outside active shooting scene. Helicopter overhead. #chsnews pic.twitter.com/SAg4cHeuVF

— Andrew Knapp (@offlede) August 24, 2017

An off -the-clock employee told the Post and Courier that from what he heard, a dishwasher at Virginia’s on King got fired, and returned to shoot the chef.

According to witnesses, an older black man walked into the store with a gun, locked the door and proclaimed, “I am the new king of Charleston.”

In a statement that would support the Post and Courier’s report, Charleston mayor John Tecklenburg said in a statement that “this was not a hate crime. This was a disgruntled employee who has come on the scene of his employment.”