Dallas shooting suspect shot dead by police

HOUSTON: In a brazen attack, a man unleashed a barrage of gunfire at the police headquarters in the US city of Dallas and planted explosives outside the building, leading to a chase that ended with snipers shooting him dead inside his armoured vehicle after hours of standoff.

The suspect had allegedly planted several bombs and sprayed the headquarters and squad cars with gunfire during the assault yesterday.

For more than 12 hours yesterday, the gunman identified by the authorities as James L Boulware, 35, of Paris in Texas set Dallas on edge, causing evacuations.

According to Dallas police department, hours after negotiators, who tried to persuade the suspect to surrender, lost contact, the man was found dead inside the van.

No officers or bystanders were killed or injured in the attack, which began outside the headquarters and spread to the parking lot of a restaurant in a suburb after the gunman fled.

Officers fired at the vehicle with .50-calibre rifles and disabled it. Then, around 5 AM, police snipers shot through the van's windshield.

Dallas Police Chief David Brown told reporters that the shootout began at around 12:30 am yesterday, when the suspect parked in front of the headquarters and opened fire.

Police initially suspected multiple gunmen in the attack, but they now believe only one person was involved.

The gunman fired "from various locations," and used gun ports built into the sides of his armoured van.

After the initial exchange of gunfire, the suspect led a convoy of police vehicles on a chase to a Jack in the Box parking lot in the suburb of Hutchins, about 12 miles away, where more shots were fired.

"We believe this suspect meant to kill officers," Brown told reporters. "We barely survived the intentions of this suspect."

Before he was shot, the suspect ranted to police by phone, identifying himself and alleging police were responsible for his child.

According to Brown, the suspect reportedly told officers that he blames police for losing custody of his son and "accusing him of being a terrorist."

The FBI has been called in to help investigate. Boulware reportedly has a history of family violence.

According to local media reports, police in Paris, Texas, arrested Boulware in 2013 after he obtained firearms, ammunition and a body armour before threatening to attack his family, churches and schools.

Authorities also found four bags outside police headquarters in the aftermath of the attack, including one that held a pipe bomb that later exploded when a bomb squad tried to use a robot to move it.

The authorities have not identified a motive for the attack.

Brown said that although the man posted angry rants on social media threatening to kill police officers, there had been no indication that he was planning to carry out an attack.

He said it appeared to be the same suspect shooting from multiple positions.