DUDE HAS A SHOOTOUT WITH COPS IN A TIME SQUARE HOTEL!

An armed man who apparently exchanged fire with a police officer and a security guard outside a Times Square hotel on Thursday morning was shot and killed by the officer, CBS 2 has learned. The unidentified suspect, believed to be in his 20s, was shot by the officer outside the Marriott Marquis Hotel at 46th Street and Broadway about 11:18 a.m. near a taxi dropoff area behind the building. Gunfire was exchanged between the suspect and a police officer, who was also aided by a security guard.

It's not yet known what sparked the gun fight.

Numerous pedestrians witnessed the shocking turn of events.

"I heard the shooting and looked across there was a young man running away, a hooded guy," said tourist John Grisewood. "I saw the police working on him. He was waving [a gun], they were exchanging shots, I'm 99 percent certain of that. There was an ordinary security guy who turned out to be a plain clothes policeman. He got his badge out, but I think there were about 5 or 6 shots all together.

"The guy who was running away I'm sure had a gun and was firing back, but the policeman was holding his gun out and he was sort of moving about and he fired again and the man dropped about 20 feet away from him."

The gunman was taken to Roosevelt Hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly before 12:30 p.m.

"I heard the gun shooting right behind me there outside the Marriott. There was a guy with five, six times of the gunshots (sic) and I saw the guy fall down and he was pointing the gun to his face," one witness told CBS 2.

Witnesses were buzzing about the shooting on Twitter shortly after it happened.

Wrote user @Sgateproduction: "Heard 3 shots outside my office window. Someone was shot. Unsure of status, but times square is in lockdown and cornered off"

Wrote user @tuanx: "Somebody just pulled out a TEC-9 in Times Square a few minutes ago & was shot by a Police Officer before he got the chance to use it"