Dallas Police Shoot, Kill Suspected Gunman After Firing At Officers

Update 12:50 p.m. from Dallas PD

Twelve hours later, Dallas Police Department have officially confirmed the death of the suspected gunman, who opened fire outside police headquarters in South Dallas at 12:30 a.m.

Although the gunman identified himself as James Boulware earlier this morning, police will confirm after medical examination. 

Update from AP 10:40 a.m.

Authorities say they've confirmed the death of a suspect accused of opening fire on officers outside the Dallas police headquarters.

Police said Saturday that the suspect was found dead inside his armored van at a parking lot in suburban Hutchins, where he had been in an hours-long standoff with SWAT team officers.

Police Chief David Brown had said a sniper hit the suspect shortly after 5 a.m. and that officers had lost contact with him for several hours afterward. But officers did not directly approach the van due to the threat of explosives inside.

Earlier this morning

Major Max Geron announced via Twitterthat police had not had contact with suspect in over four hours after he was shot and believe him to be deceased. Police broke into the vehicle via the windshield and rendered any potential explosives inert with a "water charge."

Police Chief David Brown says an officer shot the suspect Saturday morning while the suspect was holed up in a van in a parking lot in the Dallas suburb of Hutchins along I-45. He says the man told police he had explosives in the van.

“Our swat snipers shot at the suspect through front windshield of the van, striking the suspect," Chief Brown says. "We have the sent bomb tech robot that has a camera to try and confirm whether the suspect is deceased.” 

Brown says investigators believe the man acted alone in the early-morning attack on Dallas police headquarters at 1400 S. Lamar St., despite early witness reports that others may have taken part. Police recovered two explosive devices near the building.

Here is the second press conference Chief Brown conducted at 8:30 a.m.

Initially, up to four gunmen were suspected by police and witnesses to be involved in the shootout outside Dallas police headquarters Saturday about 12:30 a.m., according to Dallas Police Chief David Brown.

Suspect identifies himself, still unconfirmed

The lone suspect identified himself as James Boulware, which has not been confirmed by police yet. The suspect fled in an armored van from the early morning shooting but was later surrounded by police in a Jack in the Box parking lot at 121 South I-45 Service Rd in Hutchins at approximately 12:45 a.m., according to the Dallas Police Department blog. 

Brown said the suspect told officers that he blames police for losing custody of his son and "accusing him of being a terrorist." Police say the man may have been involved in a custody battle, which might have fueled the violent incident, but that’s not confirmed. 

Credit Bill Zeeble / KERA News

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KERA News

Police arrested James Lance Boulware in 2013 in Paris, Texas “after he obtained firearms, ammunition and body armor before threatening to attack his family, churches and schools. Police said then that he was taken into custody on two felony warrants from Dallas County,” according to The Dallas Morning News.

Here's Chief Brown's 3:45 a.m. press conference via DPD Beat:

The gunman said he had explosives in the van, which appeared to be outfitted with gun ports in the sides. 

More details from the scene

All suspected packages have been cleared. Nearby residents were evacuated as a precaution. No police were injured.

"I believe we're blessed that our officers survived this ordeal," Chief Brown says. "There are bullet holes in squad cars. There are bullet holes in the front lobby where our staff was sitting."

Brown said explosives were found in at least one of four bags hidden in several places outside Jack Evans Police Headquarters south of downtown. The device that was found was described as a pipe bomb.

Here's video of the early morning shooting from The Dallas Morning News: