Bomb squad called in after Austin police shoot and kill gunman

By Greg Botelho and Tina Burnside, CNN

November 28, 2014 -- Updated 1545 GMT (2345 HKT)

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

NEW: The suspect was about 50 and had a criminal history, police chief says

A man shoots three buildings, including police headquarters, in downtown Austin

He's shot dead by an officer standing outside; no one else is injured, police say

Police notice "some type of vest" on the shooter and a possible IED in a nearby vehicle

(CNN) -- [Breaking news update, posted at 10:45 a.m. ET]

The man shot dead after opening fire early Friday in downtown Austin, Texas, was about 50 years old and had a criminal history, police Chief Art Acevedo said.

Acevedo did not release the suspect's name, nor did he detail his motive.

Authorities say they think the gunman opened fire at the Mexican Consulate -- where he also set a fire -- and federal courthouse before shooting at Austin police headquarters. An Austin police officer there returned fire.

The police chief said investigators don't know whether the gunman killed himself or he was killed by the officer who fired on him.

[Previous story, posted at 8:42 a.m. ET]

Gunfire shattered the early morning silence in Texas' capital Friday, with bullets hitting police headquarters and other downtown buildings before an officer fatally shot a suspect, and then noticed he was near a possible explosive device and wearing a suspicious vest.

The 911 calls about shots in Austin began coming in around 2:25 a.m. (3:25 ET) Friday, Assistant Chief Raul Munguia of the Austin police told reporters.

At least three buildings -- which police tweeted "an active shooter (was) targeting" -- were caught up in it all. A police officer standing outside one of them, police headquarters, saw the gunman and shot him, Munguia said.

There was an active shooter targeting multiple downtown buildings, including APD Headquarters. This resulted in an Ofc. Involved Shooting.

— Austin Police Dept. (@Austin_Police) November 28, 2014

The suspect was downed next to a vehicle, inside which police "noticed what appeared to be an improvised explosive device," the assistant chief said.

So officers pulled the gunman across the street, presumably for his own safety should the IED explode. It was then that police noticed he "was wearing some type of vest," and they backed away from him as well, Munguia said.

"We believe the suspect is deceased, but given the nature of the (potential) improvised devices ... we are using extreme safety for the personnel in dealing with this particular situation," he added.

Video from CNN affiliates KXAN and KEYE showed the flashing lights of a large number of police cars and at least one ambulance lighting up the predawn sky in downtown Austin. A bomb squad robot moved in between the cars.

Officers blocked traffic in several areas, including barring all vehicles on a stretch of Interstate 35 for about two hours.

No police officers were injured in the incident. Munguia said that no one besides the suspect was struck.

The shooting prompted the evacuation of police headquarters, and authorities are looking into what other nearby buildings -- including the Mexican Consulate and a federal courthouse -- might have been hit.

Munguia said that police were also investigating where the gunman lived, in an area north of the crime scene.

"We're going to be checking that particular residence to make sure that we don't have any explosive devices there," he said, "so we can make sure that the residents of that particular area are also safe."