Teacher shot dead outside US school; killer downed by police

WASHINGTON - Jilted love may have prompted a man to kill a female teacher Friday outside an elementary school in Tacoma, Washington, a newspaper reported.

There were no children in the school at the time of the shooting, the News Tribune reported online.

The suspected killer died in a hail of police bullets just a few blocks away from the school.

The suspect, who like his victim was 30 years old, knew the woman but did not have a relationship with her, police spokesman Mark Fulghum was quoted as saying.

The shooter may have been infatuated from afar with the special education teacher, officials said. The suspect shot at police as he fled the bloody scene, and was answered with lethal fire from police.