A rape accused, who was being escorted for his trial in a US court, snatched a woman police officer's gun and allegedly killed the judge and two others before stealing a reporter's car to escape.
Brian Nicholas, 33, who was being tried on rape and several other charges, overpowered the woman police officer escorting him when she removed his handcuffs in the holding cell, snatched her gun, shot and wounded her and then ran to the court room in Atlanta in Georgia State.
He held court officials and others hostage for some time before allegedly killing the county superior court judge Rowland W Barnes, who was presiding over his trial, and a court reporter.
He then ran down the stairs, killed another police officer as he tried to confront him, hit a newspaper reporter with the gun and escaped in his car.
Schools, restaurants and other public buildings closed their doors and increased security as the police described the suspect as armed and dangerous.
Media reports suggested that he changed vehicles several times, stealing them at gun-point.
Police extended search to neigbouring states of Alabama, Tennessee and Carolinas as the night fell and the Georgia state announced an award of $ 10,000 for information leading to the suspect's arrest.