(Thumbnail image: Montgomery County Police/CBS)

BY JIM FLINK

“Breaking news out of Maryland, where police say an Asian man by the name of James Lee is armed and inside the Discovery Channel’s headquarters.  Police say Lee has quote ‘concerns’ with the Discovery Channel and there are reports he is holding hostages.” (ABC News)

A gunman is shot to death, after storming the Discovery Channel’s headquarters and taking half a dozen hostages.  SWAT teams moved in, and killed the 43-year-old gunman, who said he had explosives strapped to his body.  A self-described environmental activist, media outlets are reporting on why Lee took such drastic measures.

We’re analyzing coverage from ABC News, the LAist, the New York Daily News and Fox News.

On its website, ABC News reports it has uncovered a manifesto penned by James Lee in July, which criticized Discovery for its programming, as well as humans in general, as polluters of the planet.  Lee’s words here --

"The world needs TV shows that DEVELOP solutions to the problems that humans are causing, not stupify the people into destroying the world. Not encouraging them to breed more environmentally harmful humans....The planet does not need humans.”

The LAist blog posted that manifesto on its site.

And says -- Lee’s idea of saving the planet -- included a reality show where human beings would be expendable.

“The crux of Lee's mission for the Discovery Channel was to stop humans from breeding, period. He considered babies to be 'human filth,' and felt that the promotion of sterilization was necessary, paired with drastic measures to safeguard the environment in order to 'save the planet.'"

Lee had previous run-ins with Discovery -- a frequent protester outside the headquarters.  The New York Daily News reports on one such protest.

“Lee is no stranger to the Discovery Channel. Last year he was arrested outside their headquarters on littering and disorderly conduct charges after he hired some homeless men to stage a demonstration - and threw thousands of dollars of cash up into the air to protest corporate greed. Lee said Discovery was taking "the focus off what is really important" by running shows like "Cash Cab" and "Dirty Jobs" when they should be airing shows about global warming.”

On Fox News, Neal Cavuto talked with Lee’s brother-in-law who says, the entire family had grown concerned about his instability.

“He’s just been -- very erratic behavior.  And obviously is has progressed to this very intense situation. (When you say erratic what’s been starting to happen.)  Very emotional outbursts..and just a lack of respect for any kind of authority.”

James Lee was killed by police during the standoff.  All three hostages were released unharmed. 

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