Gunman Dead After Firing 100 Rounds in Downtown Austin
An Austin man who allegedly fired 100 rounds into three downtown buildings was fatally shot when he opened fire outside police headquarters, an Austin PD spokesperson told reporters.
Police say they received reports about the man, whose name has not been released, firing shots at buildings around 2:22 a.m. Friday.
He reportedly targeted a U.S. courthouse and the Mexican Consulate before turning his attention on police headquarters.
Assistant Police Chief Raul Munguia told reporters the man had some sort of improvised explosive device in his car and had been wearing a suspicious-looking vest. Per NBC:
Jesse Van Wallene, 29, told NBC News he found himself around 15 feet away from the shooter when he stopped at a red light and spotted him with a "large gun in his hand."
"He was in full gear so he didn't seem like a civilian, but there was no writing on any of the equipment," the restaurant server said. "It seemed like he was wearing a bullet-proof vest and he was wearing a helmet with a clear visor over his face."
An officer reportedly shot the man when he began firing at Austin Police headquarters.
The police activity shut down Interstate 35 for several hours, and cops are still investigating whether the man had additional explosives—per KVUE, "Police said they believe the suspect died, but due to the nature of a potential bomb, officers are using "extreme safety" while dealing with the person."
I count nearly a dozen bulletholes in The federal courthouse guard shack pic.twitter.com/gFLrBIYLNs
— Scott Guest (@KVUEChiefPhotog) November 28, 2014