The lone gunman who fired up Austin police headquarters and several adjacent buildings has been shot and killed by police, authorities said Friday morning. But bomb squad technicians are on the scene, scouring the suspect’s car for makeshift explosives.
Police said the man fired at their headquarters — resulting in the evacuation of the building — as well as at the nearby Mexican consulate and federal courthouse around 2:30 a.m.
Law enforcement fired back, but he managed to flee the scene with unknown injuries, The Associated Press reported. Police shortly after shut down a portion of Interstate 35 — the main highway through Austin — warned residents to stay off the streets and kicked off a search for the suspect.
The Austin American-Statesman reported that the shooter was ultimately killed near his car. He was wearing a vest, and police say he may have had an improvised explosive device in his vehicle.
Bomb squad officers are on scene, USA Today reported. They are also checking the suspect’s home and seeing if there are more bombs at the residence, the newspaper said.
The gunman’s identify has not yet been released.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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