Costumed 'Renaissance Fair Enthusiast' who was shot dead after opening fire on Mexico consulate

• 911 calls about more than 100 rounds fired in downtown Austin started coming in just before 2.30am
• Gunman was fatally shot after police officer noticed he was wearing a suspicious vest
• A bomb squad was brought in to remove items from the gunman's van that looked like IEDs
• It has been determined the shooter did not have any explosives on his body or in his van
• Used propane tanks to start a small fire at Mexican Consulate
• A SWAT team was sent to the suspect's home to check for explosives

By Associated Press and Snejana Farberov for MailOnline

Published: 18:11 EST, 28 November 2014 | Updated: 19:21 EST, 28 November 2014

The man who was shot dead by a police officer after opening fire at city's police headquarters and the Mexican Consulate has been identified as Larry Steven McQuilliams.

The 48-year-old, who was apparently upset about US immigration policy, had fired more than 100 rounds at multiple buildings downtown.

According to McQuilliams' Facebook page, he was an avid participant in Renaissance fair culture, posting several photos of himself in full costume.

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The man who was shot dead by a police officer after opening fire at city's police headquarters and the Mexican Consulate has been identified as Larry Steven McQuilliams

According to McQuilliams' Facebook page, he was an avid participant in Renaissance fair culture, posting several photos of himself in full costume

Assistant Chief Raul Munguia says nobody else was hurt.

Authorities received multiple 911 calls between 2.22am and 2.32am about shots fired at buildings downtown.

Munguia said bullets struck police headquarters along 8th Street and the Interstate 35 frontage road, a Mexican Consulate and a federal courthouse.

Pre-dawn shooting: A gunman opened fire on three buildings in downtown Austin overnight

Investigators record the scene where the shooting took place

Doors filled with broken glass are photographed after authorities shot and killed a man who they say opened fire on the Mexican Consulate

Response: A large number of officers converged on the downtown area after getting calls about shots fired

Gunned down: An officer fatally shot the unnamed suspect. This image shows what appears to be cops dragging the man's body away from his van

Threat: Police called in a bomb squad after spotting suspicious devices inside the white van

Tragedy thwarted: All the targeted buildings were closed overnight and no one was injured

During a press conference at 10am Eastern time, Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo described the shooter as a white male, about 50 years of age, from Austin, Texas.

Heroic: Sgt Adam Johnson, a 15-year veteran of the department, has been identified as the cop who shot the suspect

He revealed that the officer who shot the suspect, 15-year veteran Sgt Adam Johnson, was outside with a pair of police horses from the Mounted Patrol when he spotted the armed man, who was wearing 'some type of vest' resembling a suicide vest often used by terrorists.

According to Chief Acevedo, the sergeant fired a single shot at the suspect with one hand while holding the horses by the reins with the other.

However, police are not sure at this time whether it was the cop's bullet that ended the suspect's life, or whether he committed suicide.

No was else was hurt in the incident.

'Police are the last line of defense against homegrown threats,' the police chief stated, adding that the attack may have been over US immigration policy.

'When you look at the national debate right now about immigration, that ... comes to mind. Sometimes our political discourse becomes very heated and sometimes very angry,' Acevedo told reporters.

President Barack Obama this month imposed the most sweeping immigration changes in a generation, easing the threat of deportation for some 4.7million illegal immigrants.

The suspect's white van was parked in an area near police headquarters, the Mexican Consulate and a federal courthouse.

Responding officers dragged the mortally wounded man from his car, but backed away and called the bomb squad after noticing the vest on him and suspicious-looking cylinders inside the van.

KEYE-TV later reported that the metal cylinders were propane tanks the suspect had used to start a small fire at the Mexican Consulate, which was quickly extinguished.

In a statement, the Mexican Foreign Ministry expressed its 'deep concern and condemnation of the incident.'

Active scene: Police tape marks off the scene after authorities shot and killed a man who they say opened fire on the Mexican Consulate, police headquarters and other downtown buildings early Friday

Evidence: Propane tanks the suspect had used to start a fire at the consulate are seen scattered on the ground at the crime scene

Update: Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo gives a press conference on the shooting Friday morning

Acevedo said during the press conference that it was determined this morning that the gunman did not have any explosives on his person or in his vehicle.

Eyewitness Jesse Van Wallene told NBC News he was about 15 feet away from the suspect when he stopped at a red light and saw a large gun in his hands.

Wallene described the suspect as wearing a bullet-proof vest and a helmet with a clear visor. None of the tactical gear had any markers on it, which convinced the witness that the man in front of him was not a member of law enforcement.

Moments later, Wallene said the gunman opened fired on a building opposite the police HQ.

'He was firing in bursts of about five shots,' the 29-year-old waiter 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.'

A robot was used to remove the objects from the vehicle, which police suspect may have been IEDs

Emergency: The shooting led to the evacuation of the police HQ in the Texas capital and the closure of several roads in the downtown section of the city

Shutdown: Police closed I-35 for hours in both directions after the shooting

Chief Art Acevedo revealed during the Friday morning news conference that the slain perpetrator had a criminal record, but he would not elaborate on it.

The shooting led to the evacuation of the police HQ in the Texas state capital and the closure of several roads in the downtown section of the city. I-35 was reopened in both directions at around 6.30am.