Former Blade staffer safe after hostage standoff

A former Washington Blade employee was among three hostages held at
the Discovery Communications building in Silver Spring, Md., on
Wednesday, according to multiple sources.

Christopher Wood, a former Blade marketing manager, was freed after
police shot and killed the suspect.

Wood’s friends began posting Facebook updates late Wednesday; he was
reportedly not injured and was being questioned by police late
Wednesday afternoon.

The suspect, James Lee, 43, was known to have “concerns” with
Discovery and was arrested in 2008 after protesting in front of the
building. Police said he entered the building this afternoon around
lunchtime with explosive devices strapped to his chest and back and
carrying a gun. The standoff lasted nearly four hours and ended with
the police shooting Lee at 4:48 p.m.

Wood joined Discovery after leaving the Blade in the summer of 2009.