(Washington, DC) -- The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum has issued a statement following the death of one of its security officers in a shooting Wednesday afternoon at the museum.

Chairman Fred Zeidman said Stephen Tyrone Johns, quote, "died heroically in the line of duty today.

There are no words to express our grief and shock over these events.

He served on the museum's security staff for six years.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Officer Johns' family." Zeidman added the museum will be closed Thursday in Johns' memory and flags will be flown at half-staff.

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