A Kentucky man who was 'hunting' homeless people with his rifle has been shot dead by SWAT team officers.

Michael Hristov, 21, was killed by police at his Louisville home on May 14 after he opened fire on officers, police said in a press conference.

Hristov was wanted in connection to the killing and dismemberment of Michael Howard on December 24 last year.

Howard's naked, mutilated body was found in a homeless encampment near I-65 on the day after Christmas, authorities said.

Eight of his toes and his genitalia had been cut off, and satanic symbols had been carved into his body. Only seven of the missing toes were found at the scene. 

Police said Hristov also stabbed another homeless man on December 25, but that victim survived the attack.

Homicide detectives linked Hristov to the case through surveillance footage and a Reddit post warning of a 'possible serial killer in Louisville' which it turned out he had penned.

Police said Hristov had a known fascination with serial killers, a history of torturing animals, idolized mass shooters and had made statements about wanting to hunt homeless people. 

Police identified Hristov as their suspected killer after tracing surveillance footage from the Christmas Day stabbing.

They tracked his location to a home in Louisville where he resided with his mother.

Detectives obtained a search warrant for his home, scooter and technology, which they carried out on March 7.

During the search, police recovered a backpack that contained Howard's missing toe and his blood, officials revealed.

Examination of his computer also determined that Hristov had written the eerie Reddit post before he carried out his crimes.

The post, published on December 21, warned that a killer was targeting 'unhoused people' near I-65 and 'supposedly drew a symbol near the bodies.'

He was subsequently indicted for murder, abuse of a corpse and assault on May 13. 

Officers tried to serve his arrest warrant on May 14, but the killer responded by shooting at them from inside his home. 

Some of his bullets struck nearby homes and cars.

While the residence was surrounded by police, Hristov called 911. He told the dispatchers he was armed with a gun and had 150 rounds of ammunition.

'I am not here to shoot at SWAT officers, I am here to be shot by them,' he told the 911 operator, according to recordings published by police.

The SWAT team tried to resolve the incident peacefully and even deployed a drone inside the home, but were unable to get Hristov to surrender.

About 20 minutes later, Hristov came outside armed and wearing a helmet and a ballistic vest. 

Officers ordered him to drop his weapon, but he refused to comply and was shot dead by Officer Beau Gadegaard. 

Gadegaard has been employed by the Louisville Metro Police Department since 2014. 

He was previously suspended in 2016 for not turning on his body-worn camera during a deadly police shooting, local media reported at the time. 

Investigators are working to determine if Hristov can be linked to any other attacks on homeless people.

'This is scary to know that there are people in our community, or there was somebody in our community, that was walking around daily with us and and had these intense ideas,' Deputy Chief Emily McKinley said during the press conference.

'You know, if you looked at him and saw him riding the scooter, you wouldn't think that he was out to commit murder or to attack homeless individuals.'

She urged anyone with information about potential crimes committed by the killer to report them to authorities.

McKinley also confirmed that Hristov had been investigated for threats by federal officials.