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Gunman killed in Austin after targeting police headquarters, government buildings

Police did not immediately confirm whether the man, whose name was not immediately released, had explosives.

  • By Associated Press Associated Press

| AUSTIN, Texas

Authorities shot and killed a man who they say opened fire on Austin police headquarters early Friday morning, and a bomb squad was called in to search his vehicle.

The man also targeted a U.S. courthouse and the Mexican Consulate, Assistant Poice Chief Raul Munguia said at a news conference. Officers were searching the suspect's Austin-area residents for possible explosives.

Police did not immediately confirm whether the man, whose name was not immediately released, had explosives.

The gunfire was reported at 2:22 a.m. Friday, Munguia said, and some bullets hit police headquarters. Munguia did not immediately say whether the consulate and the courthouse were damaged. Both were closed at the time of the gunfire.

"An officer outside the building saw the suspect, fired at the suspect, the suspect went down," Munguia said.

Officers then saw what appeared to be an improvised explosive device in his vehicle, and that "the suspect was wearing some type of vest," Munguia said. He did not provide additional details on the garment.

Police are trying to determine a motive for the gunfire, which shut down a stretch of Interstate 35 for hours but had reopened Friday morning.

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