A police headquarters in Dallas has come under attack.
A man fled the scene in an "armoured van" reportedly after firing shots at the building and was shot by a sniper.
Police later confirmed he was dead.
Incredible footage of the scene shows the vehicle ramming police cars before driving off as officers fire at it. Passers by were nearly hit by in the crossfire.
That moment when you hear a bullet pass by your face 😳🏃🏽💨 #DallasPDShootingpic.twitter.com/LRVxMb9Sir
— IV|June27 (@Scoota_JuiceMan) June 13, 2015
Four bags were left outside the building, one of which contained pipe bombs.
Dallas Police Chief David Brown said during a news conference that the shootout began about 12:30 a.m. Saturday, when the suspects parked in front of the building located south of downtown and began firing.
The suspect driving the van has told officers that he blames police for losing custody of his son and "accusing him of being a terrorist." The gunman also said he had explosives in the van, which appeared to be outfitted with gun ports in the sides.
Brown said negotiations with that suspect and the SWAT unit are ongoing.
Based on witness accounts, as many as four suspects may have been involved in the original shooting, including some who may have been strategically positioned at elevated positions. Police could not immediately confirm how many shooters were involved and where any additional suspects may be located.
An explosive device at the scene also blew up. There are no reports of any injuries at this time.
Meanwhile, Brown said police also found four bags outside police headquarters, including one that held a pipe bomb that later exploded. He said police were evacuating nearby residents as a precaution.
Ladarrick Alexander and his fiancée, Laquita Davis, were driving back toward the police station to their nearby apartment when they heard 15 to 20 gunshots in quick succession.
Seconds later, police could be seen swarming an unmarked van that appeared to have crashed into a police car, they said.
They turned around and were parked outside the police perimeter about two blocks away, where they heard the sound of one detonation at about 4:30 am and smoke coming up in the air.
Police headquarters is in a former warehouse district where a boutique hotel and several new apartment buildings have been opened.
"We don't see too much going around here at all," Alexander said.
For live updates you can check the Dallas Police Department's Twitter feed below...