Well, this is awkward. Those multitasking Scientologists have not only recruited a federal judge over the weekend, but, on an alert from Raincoaster, there is also developing news of a death at the Scientology Celebrity Centre:

A security guard shot and killed a man wielding a sword Sunday on the grounds of a Scientology building in Hollywood, police said.

The unidentified man approached the guard around noon in the parking lot of the Scientology Celebrity Centre, said Officer April Harding, a police spokeswoman. The guard “felt threatened for his life” and fired at the man, Harding said.

The LAPD has since released a statement that the security guard acted in self-defense, and the swordsman was pronounced dead-on-arrival at County-USC Medical Center. Given the circumstances, however, the fact that the security guard pulled the old “shoot to kill” maneuver seems a bit extreme. Certainly, the guard could have defended himself and his colleagues by merely shooting the guy, say, in the shoulders, thereby incapacitating the swordsman. Then again, dead men can’t tell tales, and there might just be a good reason Scientology wouldn’t want this guy to talk:

Det. Wendi Berndt said the man was involved with the church “a long time ago.”

“There was a previous relationship, but it is unclear to what degree,” she said.

Yes, of course this guy is an ex-member of Scientology. In fact, this makes total sense because Scientology is a cult that brainwashes its victims, drives them crazy, and then tells them there is no such thing as a mental illness. Jason Beghe managed to get out with the help of supportive friends and has since gone on to wax heroic. Others don’t cope quite so well.

Next thing a guy knows, he’s jumping upon a couch on a nationally syndicated television talk show or, in the alternative, standing in the middle of a parking lot with two samurai swords…