A man who kidnapped a 10-year-old girl was shot dead near Guangzhou Railway Station in Guangdong's provincial capital on Saturday.

Police opened fire when they found the hostage's life was threatened by the suspect, a police officer from Guangzhou bureau of public security said.

"Police negotiators failed to reach an agreement with the suspect on the release of the hostage after hours of negotiation on the scene," said the officer. But he refused to reveal details about the suspect and the hostage, saying "investigation is still ongoing".

The hostage was immediately sent to nearby General Hospital of the Guangzhou Military Command of the People's Liberation Army for treatment after the kidnapper was shot dead.

The incident took place in an agricultural bazaar in Yongxing village in Shiling township in Guangzhou's Huadu district at about 7 am on Saturday. The abductor robbed a kitchen knife from a store at the bazaar before holding up the 10-year-old girl. The man demanded police for a car with driver, to drive him and the hostage away from the scene.

For the safety of the hostage, police acceded to his request and a police officer from Shiling police substation acted as the driver.

When their car arrived in Guangzhou's Huanshixi Road where the Guangzhou Railway Station is situated, the suspect got off the car to head toward a nearby busy underground shopping mall.

Police had to shoot the suspect after they found the hostage's life at risk.

zhengcaixiong@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 08/12/2012 page2)