US school shooting suspect fired on police

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A MAN armed with an assault rifle entered a primary school in the US state of Georgia, held employees hostage, and fired on police who shot back before giving himself up, SKYNews reported.

Dramatic overhead television footage captured young students racing out of the building.

Just a week into the new school year, more than 800 students in pre-kindergarten to fifth grade were evacuated by teachers and police on Tuesday from Ronald E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy in Decatur, a few kilometres east of Atlanta.

DeKalb County Police Chief Cedric L Alexander said the suspect, identified later as 20-year-old Michael Brandon Hill, fired at least half a dozen shots from inside the administration area and officers returned fire when he was alone and they had a clear shot. Alexander said at a news conference Hill surrendered shortly after and he had other weapons, but police had no motive for the incident.

Though the school has a system where people must be buzzed in by staff, the gunman may have slipped inside behind someone authorised to be there, Alexander said.

Hill never got past the front office, where he held one or two employees captive, the chief said. He has been charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, terroristic threats and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.