A contract employee, William A. Phillips, with Jacobs Engineering Group Ltd., entered Building 44 at Johnson Space Center and shot to death David Beverly, a NASA employee, before committing suicide, according to police and news reports.

NASA employees were evacuated from the building, and employees in other buildings were told to shelter in place.

“All of us at NASA are profoundly saddened by today’s tragedy at the Johnson Space Center in Houston,” NASA Administrator Michael Griffin said. “Our hearts go out to the families of the victims and all those touched by today’s events.”