Photo by by George Miquilena
A gunman reportedly opened fire Austin Police Department headquarters and other downtown buildings, including a courthouse and the Mexican consulate, in the Texas capital before being shot dead by police early Friday. According to police reports, the suspect fired over 100 rounds. Precise details about the currently unnamed middle-aged suspect's death remain unclear. CNN reports that on officer standing outside one of the targeted buildings saw the gunman and shot him. However, it has not been determined if the gunman died from the cop's shot or whether he took his own life.The shooting officer, a sergeant, then noticed that the gunman appeared to be standing near a homemade explosive device, wearing "some type of vest," Austin's Assistant Police Chief Raul Munguia said at a news conference. According to the Guardian, a bomb squad was called to the scene and it was later determined that the suspicious-looking devices were not explosive. No police officers or bystanders were harmed in the incident and only damage to police headquarters was reported. No motives for the incident have currently been suggested.Image via WikimediaStay tuned in to the state of policing in America with VICE News's Officer Involved blog.
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