State police at the Reading barracks are investigating the fatal shooting of a security guard at a Berks County business.

Troopers said on Saturday at 12:08 a.m. a 911 call was received from someone who said he was hired for security by Pinnacle Transport Company, 235 Quarry Road, in New Morgan, due to recent catalytic converter thefts in the area.

The caller said that he and his partner were patrolling the lot at the site when they noticed a suspicious blue Chrysler minivan on the property. The one guard attempted to make contact with the driver of the vehicle and noticed someone hiding inside.

When the guard returned to the security van, the second guard was on the phone with 911. Both guards were then shot by the person in the suspicious vehicle. The one guard was killed and the second had a wound to the arm. Troopers did not release the names of the victims.

The assailant is described as being a white man, 6 feet tall, weighing about 230 pounds, with a reddish-brown beard and wearing a baseball cap.

Anyone with information concerning this incident is asked to call troopers at 610-378-4011 or, for anonymous tips, call Crime Alert Berks County at 877-373-9913.