Hostage siege “al-Qaida member” killed by police

A GUNMAN claiming to be a member of al-Qaida who held up to 16 people hostage inside a classroom was killed by police after he began firing his gun.

Harold Kilpatrick, aged 26, held up to 16 students and their teacher at gunpoint for more than nine hours on Wednesday.

Police stormed the building after shots rang out around 10pm.