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Gun attack at Dallas police headquarters | Gun attack at Dallas police headquarters |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The police headquarters in the US city of Dallas came under attack by at least one gunman who opened fire on officers. | |
The suspect fled the scene in Texas in what was described as an armoured van, and was involved in a standoff in a car park. | |
Officers shot at the van, and say the suspect is believed to be dead. | |
Earlier, a number of suspicious packages were found outside the police HQ, including two bags containing explosives that detonated, police said. | |
The motive for the attack is not clear. No officers have been hurt. | The motive for the attack is not clear. No officers have been hurt. |
Initially, police quoted witnesses as saying that as many as four suspects were involved in the initial shooting at about 00:30 (05:30GMT) on Saturday. | |
However, Dallas Police Chief David Brown subsequently said he believed only one gunman was involved. | |
He said that following the shooting, the suspect fled the scene in the van, ramming a police car. | |
A police chase involving dozens of squad cars ended in a car park in Hutchins, about nine miles (14km) from central Dallas. | |
The van, which has been disabled using a police rifle, appeared to have gun ports built into its sides. | The van, which has been disabled using a police rifle, appeared to have gun ports built into its sides. |
Police say the suspect is a white male, but his identity has not been confirmed. | |
Mr Brown said the suspect had said his name was James Boulware, and police said officers had attended three incidents of domestic violence involving a man with that name in the past. | |
"The suspect has told our negotiators that we took his child and we accused him of being a terrorist, and that he's going to blow us up. And then cut off negotiations," Mr Brown told a news conference. | |
At 05:07 local time, police snipers shot through the front windshield of the van, Mr Brown said. | |
"We have sent a bomb technician robot, that has a camera, to try and confirm whether the suspect is deceased." | |
He added that police officers were not approaching the vehicle yet, as the suspect had said his van was rigged with explosives. | |
Suspicious package | Suspicious package |
Meanwhile, residents near the police headquarters have been evacuated as a precaution while specialist teams dealt with the explosives. | |
One of the bags exploded as a robot tried to move it. | One of the bags exploded as a robot tried to move it. |
Dallas police said they successfully detonated another device found under a police truck outside the headquarters, while a third package found in a rubbish container had been cleared and was not an explosive. | |
Part of the Interstate 45 highway, where the standoff is taking place, has been closed, while nearby rail and bus services have been suspended, AP news agency reports. | |
Joshua Guilbuad, who lives near the police headquarters, told the BBC he was woken by the gunshots. | |
"It sounded like approximately 200 gunshots going off across the street." | |
He said police told him and his flatmates to evacuate the building and shortly afterwards there was "a huge explosion which shook the glass in the windows". | He said police told him and his flatmates to evacuate the building and shortly afterwards there was "a huge explosion which shook the glass in the windows". |
Are you in Dallas? Have you been affected by the issues in this story? | Are you in Dallas? Have you been affected by the issues in this story? |
You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk | You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk |
You can send us a picture, video or message to our WhatsApp number +44 7525 900971 | You can send us a picture, video or message to our WhatsApp number +44 7525 900971 |
Please leave a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. | Please leave a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. |