A gunman, identified as an Armenian, opened fire inside Estonia's Defense Ministry and tried to take hostages on Thursday, but he apparently was shot and killed by police who stormed the building, an official said.

The Sofia News Agency Novinite.com reports that the man was identified as 55-years-old Karen Drambjan, a member of the United Left Party of Estonia. Earlier reports had it that he was shouting in Russian while carrying out the attack.

The attacker entered the ministry in downtown Tallinn at midday, threw a smoke bomb, fired shots and tried to kidnap two employees, but police quickly evacuated the building and officers wearing bulletproof gear entered it, officials said.

Defense Minister Mart Laar was not there at the time, ministry spokesman Hannes Kont told The Associated Press.

The attacker who took two hostages at the Ministry of Defense of Estonia before taking his own life was a member of party defending the interests of part of the Russian minority in the country, according to Estonia's Prosecutor's Office.

The Prosecutor's Office, quoted by RIA Novosti, refuted earlier reports that the attacker was a former Estonian military affected by recent reductions in the numbers of the army.