Kansas City, Mo. ? A gunman held the mother of his children hostage at a McDonald’s restaurant Friday before he was fatally shot by the police.

The standoff lasted more than four hours, ending when an officer fired once. The woman was unharmed, police spokesman Darin Snapp said.

The 47-year-old man was taken to a hospital, where he died. Police did not release his name Friday night.

Police said the man, from the Kansas City suburb of Liberty, went to the McDonald’s where the woman — who has a protective order against him — works.

Early reports indicated that the two were married, but Snapp said that while they had three children together, they had never married.

The manager sent the gunman away, but he returned early Friday afternoon and sent everyone but the woman out of the restaurant.

The standoff forced the closing of Barry Road, a busy business artery in northern Kansas City. One entrance of the Metro North Mall was closed, but the mall itself remained open.

Snapp said the man had violated the protection order twice.

Police negotiators began trying to establish contact with the man about 4 p.m. The shooting happened shortly after 5 p.m.