MOSCOW, November 28 (Sputnik) – The Austin Police Department has confirmed that a gunman suspected of shooting at several city buildings early on Friday is dead, according to the local media and official Twitter of the Department.
There was an active shooter targeting multiple downtown blogs, including APD Headquarters. This resulted in an Ofc. Involved Shooting.
— Austin Police Dept (@Austin_Police) 28 ноября 2014
The first reports of the shooting came from local residents at 2:22 a.m. local time, Austin Police Department Assistant Chief Raul Munguia told journalists at a news conference on Friday.
After an officer fired at the suspect, police noticed the man was wearing a vest, and a bomb squad was called to the scene, ABC News quotes Munguia as saying.
Earlier NBC News reported that one of the witnesses to the shooting confirmed that the shooter was wearing protective gear and did not seem like a civilian.
“It seemed like he was wearing a bullet-proof vest and he was wearing a helmet with a clear visor over his face," NBC News quotes Jesse Van Wallene, who happened to stop at a red light just five meters away from the suspect, as saying.
Van Wallene said the gunman started shooting at a building opposite the police headquarters.
"He was firing in bursts of about five shots," he said. "He didn't even seem to acknowledge we were there, he just seemed very focused on firing at the building, which had no lights on inside.”
Police were quick to respond.
APD Headquarters has been evacuated. A suspect has been shot and his condition is unknown at this time.
— Austin Police Dept (@Austin_Police) 28 ноября 2014
No police officers were injured, but Austin’s Police Department headquarters was evacuated, authorities said.
A major nearby highway, Interstate 35, was also shut down during the incident, police said.
The identity of the suspect has not been revealed.
