UPDATE: Slain Census Office Security Guard, Shooting Suspect Identified

UPDATED at 12:45 p.m.

Authorities have identified the security guard fatally shot outside the U.S. Census Bureau headquarters in Prince George’s County as Washington, D.C., police chased a kidnapping suspect across the region.

NBCWashington reports the guard, Lawrence Buckner, 59, died at Prince George’s Hospital Center in Cheverly about 7:20 p.m. Thursday.

WTOP reports the suspected shooter is Ronald Anderson, 48, who was shot by police in Washington, D.C. His condition is not known.

Buckner saw the suspect arguing with someone in his car. D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier said Buckner was shot when he approached the car.

Buckner had worked for Master Security in Hunt Valley for 15 years, NBC reports, and was stationed at the Census Bureau for about five years.

SEE ALSO: UPDATE: Census Guard Dies from Gunshot Wound; Tied to DC Police Chase of Kidnapper

Census workers were told to shelter in their cars and within the office at 4600 Silver Hill Road in Suitland until about 9 p.m. Thursday.

Authorities were looking for a green Honda Accord Thursday following a domestic kidnapping in Northwest D.C. about 5:30 p.m. WTOP reports Buckner was shot in the chest when he walked to a car matching the description of the wanted vehicle. The chase continued with police and Anderson trading gunfire until it ended at 11th and H streets in Northeast D.C.

Police said in a news release that the woman who was allegedly kidnapped was found safe.

NBCWashington says the Census building shooting was related to the shooting of a DC police officer. The TV station first reported the guard’s death, and said two DC police officers were injured during the chase.

An officer was wounded in the leg on H Street, reports The Washington Post, and the suspect was also shot. Washington, D.C., Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier told the Post Anderson is alive.

Census Director John Thompson in a statement Friday thanked Buckner for protecting workers and said prayers are extended to the slain guard’s family.

“We know the situation last night was tense, especially for the hundreds of employees who sheltered in the building and in their cars for several hours not knowing when the incident would be over,” Thompson was quoted by WTOP. ” … We appreciate everyone’s cooperation as law enforcement worked to clear the scene to make sure we were safe and free from danger.”

The Census Bureau headquarters opened two hours late Friday, the Associated Press reports, and workers were allowed to take unscheduled leave or to work from home. Workers trapped in the building during the shooting were given excused absences.

Worker Tweets Barricade Situation

Matthew Spence, a statistician at the U.S. Census Bureau, according to his Twitter profile, shared photos of himself and co-workers sheltering in place at the office.

At about 8:15 p.m. he said that he was inside the Census building, but about 20-25 cars in a surface parking lot had employees inside them with lights on.

Spence tweeted that he heard shots fired every five minutes or so, possibly coming from one of the parking garages next to the Census office. About 20 shots were fired around 8:05 p.m., Spence said.

Shortly after 9 p.m. he tweeted that employees were told over the public address system that it was safe to move about, and shared a photo of the crowds heading for the door.