LOS ANGELES – A security guard shot and killed a man wielding a sword Sunday on the grounds of a Scientology building in Hollywood, police said.

The unidentified man approached the guard around noon in the parking lot of the Scientology Celebrity Centre, said Officer April Harding, a police spokeswoman.

The guard "felt threatened for his life" and fired at the man, Harding said. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Detectives were questioning the guard to figure out the swordsman's motive and determine whether the shooting was justified, Harding said.

Calls to Scientology spokespeople were not immediately returned Sunday.

The Celebrity Centre includes a seven-story Norman-revival landmark that towers over the Hollywood freeway and used to be a residential hotel for movie stars.

The castle-like facility now serves as "a home for the artist, a place where he can come and learn, attend seminars, meet other artists and even perform at our many showcases and events," according to the Centre's Web site.

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