SEATTLE - A man dressed in a World War II German military uniform was shot several times by Seattle police when he pointed a bayonet-style military rifle at officers during a bizarre incident early Thursday morning.

The 22-year-old man died of his injuries hours later at the hospital.

Police were initially called to the scene in the 5200 block of 17th Avenue NE, at about 1:55 a.m. when a neighbor called to report gunshots fired in a back alley, said Seattle police spokesman Jeffrey Kappel.

The neighbor said he saw about five men dressed in dark clothing and military uniforms - one with a rifle, another with a shotgun - firing their weapons. The suspects fled when he called police.

"I saw the one subject with a shotgun fire three shots into the air," the neighbor, who wished to remain anonymous, told KOMO News.

Seattle police and a SWAT team responded, and the suspects fled.

During a house-to-house search, two officers came to a residence where a suspect came out of the front door dressed in German military clothing. He was armed with a military-style infantry rifle with a large bayonet on the end.

The rifle was aimed in the officers' direction.

Officers yelled "drop the weapon" several times, but the man did not respond, according to police.

The man then pointed the rifle directly at the two officers, and would not surrender, officials said. Fearing for their safety, and for the safety of the public, police opened fire and struck the man several times.

"It's (the scene is) a very, very confined space. There is no room for error and no room for mistakes," said Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske. "They made repeated demands for this young man to drop the rifle and he refused to do so. In defense, they fired."

The man received life-threatening injuries but was alive when taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. He died of his injuries several hours later, police said.

During a search of the house after the shooting, police found a large amount of military attire and Nazi regalia and paraphernalia. There was also a large amount of alcohol in the residence.

The police chief believes the combination of alcohol and guns were the major factors in the tragedy.

"There are people that connect memorabilia, and I would not put a lot of credence to the relationship of collecting that memorabilia and this incident," Kerlikowske said.

Police have not officially released the man's identity. But the man's former boss described him as a history buff and an excellent employee of a harmless nature.

Officers later were able to identify two of the suspects in the alleyway, and they have been accounted for, Kappel said.

No officers or bystanders were hurt in the incident.

Officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave during the investigation as is standard such cases.