Gunman with grenades in hand takes 30 hostages in Manila shopping mall

A former security guard has shot one person and taken dozens of hostages at a shopping mall in the capital. The gunman was reportedly sacked from his job at the mall.A former security guard shot dead one person and took 30 hostages at a shopping mall in the Philippines on Monday, authorities said.

The suspected gunman shot a man as he entered the administrative section of the mall in the capital Manila, city mayor Francis Zamora said."He is carrying a pistol. He is shouting he has a grenade but we don't have any way to confirm that for sure," Zamora told reporters.

Zamora said the gunman "felt bad because he was removed as a guard."Armed police gathered outside as negotiators attempted to end the standoff peacefully.The man who was shot was in a stable condition, according to authorities.

The Virra Mall, located in Greenhills,  an upscale part of the city, was evacuated. The shopping complex is popular for its restaurants, shops, bars and a bazaar. It is near a residential complex, a golf club and the police and military headquarters.

The local branch of the Red Cross said on Twitter it had dispatched several ambulances to the scene.In 2010 a heavily-armed ex-police officer hijacked a bus in the city, leading to the deaths of eight Hong Kong tourists during a days-long ordeal.

The Philippines has the highest death rate due to firearms in Asia and a very high rate of gun ownership.aw/stb (AFP, AP, Reuters, dpa)