Gunman shot dead by police in Dallas ‘snapped’ after losing custody of son
A MAN shot dead by police after planting pipe bombs outside Dallas Police headquarters and spraying the building with bullets had “snapped” under personal pressures, his father has said.
James Boulware Jr was shot dead in his van by police snipers after a stand-off.
His father, also named James, said his son had been angered by losing custody of his son.
“Not being able to get a job and the legal system letting him down, [he] finally snapped,’’ the elder James Boulware said.
“But I can’t say shooting at a police station is right in any way.”
Dallas Police chief David Brown said the suspect blamed police for having lost custody of his son and for “accusing him of being a terrorist”.
The gunman opened fire on the building from his parked van. Bullets pierced the glass at the entrance and caused damage inside, including at the front desk, where the worker on duty had just gone to get a soft drink.
He also fired on officers who drove up to confront him, riddling at least one squad car with bullets but not actually hitting anyone.
The van was then driven off, eventually stopping in a restaurant car park in the suburb of Hutchins, where the stand-off ensued.
The suspect had told police negotiators he had explosives in the van, and Mr Brown said the department decided to shoot him because it felt he still posed enough of a threat.
“When the negotiation was on, he became increasingly angry and threatening, such that we were not only concerned with our officers there trying to contain the scene being shot by him at a moment’s notice, but also people nearby,” Mr Brown said.
Investigators found a package of pipe bombs in the car park at police headquarters and at least two more bombs in the van, police said.
Wary that the van might have been rigged with explosives, police used a camera-equipped robot to inspect it rather than have officers approach it immediately, which was why it took several hours to confirm he was dead.
After the suspect was confirmed dead, the van erupted in flames when authorities detonated the suspected ordnance inside.