Police in the United States say they have shot dead a serial killer who had terrorised a town in South Carolina.
Patrick Tracy Burris, 41, was killed during an attempted burglary 48km from Gaffney, North Carolina, the BBC reports.
Bullets in his gun reportedly matched those used in the murders, which saw five residents of Gaffney shot and killed within a few days of each other.
Police said Burris had a long criminal record, and had been released on parole in April after serving eight years.
"Look at this," State Law Enforcement Division Chief Reggie Lloyd told a news conference, waving a copy of Burris' criminal record.
"This is like 25 pages. At some point the criminal justice system is going to need to explain why this suspect was out on the street."
Previous charges filed against Burris included larceny, forgery and breaking and entering in several states in the south-eastern US.
Police say they still do not know the motive behind the killings.
