Urgent update: A police sniper has fired at the suspect and police say the suspect is dead.
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Police were continuing attempts to negotiate with a man in an armored vehicle after he opened fire on Dallas police headquarters and led dozens of squad cars on a chase that ended in Hutchins.
No injuries had been confirmed in the attack early Saturday, but the gunman told police he had been wounded.
By 7:30 a.m., because the gunman had not been heard from for hours, speculation was spreading that he might be unconscious or dead. Officials, however, were not commenting on his condition.
The man identified himself as James Boulware, 50, who has a history of family violence and blames authorities for his losing custody of his son, Dallas police Chief David Brown said.
Boulware's mother, Jeannine Boulware, declined to comment Saturday morning when she was reached at her Dallas home by phone.
"I don't want to talk to the media. I want to talk to my son. I want my grandson to talk to his father. Do not call this number again," she said.
Mesquite's bomb squad was at James Boulware's last known address to check for explosives because of devices that had been found and detonated by Dallas police at their headquarters.
James Lance Boulware
James Lance Boulware
The gunman said he was going to blow up police because they took his child and accused him of being a terrorist, Brown said.
Authorities cautioned that they have not confirmed the man is who he says he is. But in 2013, police in Paris, Texas, said they arrested James Lance Boulware after he obtained firearms, ammunition and body armor before threatening to attack his family, as well as churches and schools.
Police said then that he was taken into custody on two felony warrants from Dallas County. However, it appears the case against him was dismissed last year after he fulfilled requirements a judge had imposed.
Near Jack Evans Police Headquarters south of downtown, two explosive devices were found, and Brown said four bags had been discovered in several places. The devices were described as pipe bombs.
One of the bags exploded when a bomb squad tried to use a robot to move it, police spokesman Maj. Max Geron said.
The gunman also threatened that he has explosives in the van, which has gun ports built into its sides.
Police were evacuating residents of the South Side on Lamar apartments across the street from the headquarters.
One witness reported that shots had been fired from an elevated position, possibly from the South Side apartments. Windows at the headquarters building were shot out, and at least one squad car was riddled with bullet holes.
Brown said there had been no confirmation yet of witness reports that there might have been as many as four people involved in the attack, nor that one of them might be on the loose after being unable to get back into the vehicle.
Additional security was implemented at other Dallas police facilities, and officers were urged to check them for suspicious packages or devices.
The incident began shortly before 12:30 a.m. Witness video showed officers firing on the vehicle as it rammed one of their cars and drove off.
After a chase that included a convoy of squad cars, the gunmans van was surrounded along southbound I-45 near Dowdy Ferry Road. The highway was shut down, and people were ordered to stay away from the area.
Alexis Trejo said he was parked behind a McDonald's on the other side of I-45 about 12:45 am when he heard helicopters overhead.
"I didn't think much until we saw lights, then we just hear a bunch of gunshots," he said.
Other people gathered in the parking lot of the McDonald's said they heard gunshots just before police shut down the highway.
Shortly after 4 a.m., it was reported that the gunman had cut off negotiations with police. About 4:30 a.m., gunfire was heard again near the vehicle, and police soon confirmed that they had used a .50-caliber rifle to ensure that the van was disabled.
The van had a Georgia license plate, and online records indicate that a company in Newman, Ga., sold a similar vehicle on eBay for $8,250.
The company that sold it, Jenco Sales Inc., described the vehicle on Facebook: "Zombie Apocalypse Assault Vehicle and Troop Transport. This full armored zombie busting vehicle features convenient gun ports so no zombie juice touches you during a mass zombie take down. It also has benches in the back so you can take turns resting during long Zombie sieges. The tactical step boards are installed for when you only need swords and axes for drive by mow downs. The bumpers are made of reinforced steel tubing, so no dents from smashing zombie heads! It's full armor plated and has bullet proof windows just in case you run into other zombie hunting hordes who might try to take this bad boy from you. Like anything, there is a price attached to this fine piece of zombie fighting machinery."
The FBI and ATF are assisting with the investigation.
Let's hope so. Big money saved there.
