CHICAGO, May 13 (Xinhua) -- U.S. special police killed on Saturday a prisoner who took a nurse as hostage at an Illinois hospital, ending an hours-long standoff.

The 21-year-old inmate, Tywon Salters, had been receiving treatment since May 8 at the hospital, some 55 km west of Chicago, local media reported.

On Saturday afternoon, he stole a gun from the correctional officer who escorted him and held a female nurse as hostage inside the hospital for several hours.

A SWAT team was sent in as negotiators were trying to persuade Salters to give up, said Kane County Sheriff's Office spokesman Patrick Gengler.

"Unfortunately, the negotiation broke down and the SWAT team made a decision to make entry into the room," said the spokesman.

Salters was gunned down fatally during the operation. The nurse survived and is now being treated for trauma. An investigation has been launched into the incident.