Suspect shot after attack on police

CRIME SCENE: A photo on the Dallas Police Twitter page shows an armoured van crashing into a police car A MAN suspected of attacking police headquarters in Dallas, Texas, early yesterday, spraying it with gunfire and leaving explosive devices around the building, was shot and killed by snipers a few hours later.

Authorities believe the attacker was acting alone, motivated by personal grievances and had no known connection to any terrorist groups, Dallas Police Chief David Brown said.

He said police snipers shot the suspect through the windshield of a van in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant about 16km south of the city. A robot was checking the van for explosives.

In a Twitter feed, police said the suspect was believed to have been killed. “There has been no contact with the suspect in over four hours — believe it likely that he is deceased,” the police said in a tweet. He was later confirmed dead.

Police said they would not go into the vehicle until they were sure there were no explosive devices rigged to it. Small explosions were heard near the vehicle, set off by police trying to gain entry.

The hours-long ordeal began soon after midnight when the suspect riddled the headquarters of the Dallas Police Department with bullets and left behind at least two devices in duffle bags that later exploded.

He then rammed a patrol car and led police on a high-speed chase. Police negotiators later engaged the suspect in sporadic dialogue that eventually petered out, prompting a move to disable the van by piercing its engine block with rifle fire.

The suspect had earlier threatened to kill police officers, police said. The attack shattered glass at police headquarters and left bullet holes in building walls and squad cars.

The suspect appeared to have blamed authorities for losing custody of his son.

Dallas resident Ben Sotheby watched from behind the barricades as police patrolled the area near headquarters.

“It wasn’t real smart to shoot up the place where all the cops are at. You’ll get yourself killed that way,” he said. —