A man who was wielding two Katanas (Samurai swords) at the Church of Scientology's Celebrity Centre in Hollywood on Sunday was shot and killed by a security guard who was afterwards detained by police.

However, the video surveillance tape seems to support the security guard’s claims that he shot the swords wielder to defend his life and those of his two colleagues. The sword-wielding man attempted to attack the guards around noon in the parking lot of the Scientology Celebrity Centre. He was “close enough to hurt” the guards and one of them opened fire, said Los Angeles Deputy Police Chief Terry S. Hara.

Police still do not know what motivated the man to attack the guards and are still investigating the circumstances of the tragic incident and whether it was a justified shooting from the part of the security guard.

The video recording from the surveillance camera clearly shows the man parking his red convertible in the parking lot of the Church of Scientology's Celebrity Centre and approaching the security guards with a Samurai sword in each hand.

"There was a previous relationship, but it is unclear to what degree," Berndt said.

The man had been previously involved with the church, said detective Wendi Berndt according to the Los Angeles Times.

"The evidence itself, it's very, very clear," Hara said. "The security officers were defending their safety."

The center, which is built like a French castle, serves as a meeting place for artists and performers, probably members of the Scientology Church, which currently has about 10 million members worldwide, including celebrity devotees Tom Cruise and John Travolta.