SWAT teams search for Crystal Cathedral gunman
Police say church worker threatened suicide
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Police SWAT teams late Thursday were searching through the Crystal Cathedral complex, looking for a church employee who earlier in the day fired shots in the architecturally striking Orange County facility founded by televangelist Dr. Robert Schuller, a police spokesman said.
According to Lt. Paul Prince at the Garden Grove Police Department, there is a "catacomb of offices" in the building and the SWAT team is searching them one by one. The suspect is believed to be in one of the offices.
Prince said the situation remains "fluid." Police had been talking with the man -- who appears to be despondent and has threatened suicide -- by phone, but have since lost contact.
Police have cut power to the facility.
Prince said Schuller came to the church and has worked with police to help end the crisis.
"Rev. Schuller is doing everything he can to assist us in resolving this situation," Prince said.
There were no reports of injury or damage, and the man -- described as being in his 50s -- is not holding any hostages.
Police immediately set up a perimeter around the cathedral and began evacuating people from the building after the 4:45 p.m. (7:45 p.m. ET) shooting. Prince said police believe "at least one or more" shots were fired in the cathedral.
During the holiday season, the cathedral hosts a live nativity pageant, "The Glory of Christmas," that draws a large number of visitors. However, the shooting incident took place nearly two hours before the first show of the night.
The church, with a sanctuary that seats nearly 2,900 people, opened in 1980 and features more than 10,000 windows of silver-colored glass that give the cathedral its name. Schuller broadcasts his weekly "Hour of Power" television show from the facility in suburban Garden Grove.
CNN's Erika Snider contributed to this report.
