ICE chief breaks news of mass shooting at Dallas facility during scheduled TV appearance

The director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement broke the news on "CNN This Morning" that at least two people were killed and another was critically wounded Wednesday in a shooting at an agency facility in Dallas.

Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons told host John Berman he received word of the shooting moments before his scheduled appearance on the program, saying that he was unsure whether agency employees or detainees had been injured, but he said the shooter apparently was dead.

"Yeah, literally as I as coming here," Lyons said. "We were notified that there were shots fired at our Dallas field office. Right now, preliminary information is a possible sniper. We have three individuals that are down at this time.We're not sure on theircondition.They've been taken to the hospital. We'rehearing some reports that the shooter may be down from the Texas Department of Public Safety. The scene issecure. Obviously, right now, my hearts, and prayers are going out tomy officers and agents. That'smy biggest concern, and as wellas everyone in that area."

"Butthis just shows the violencethat's being increased againstICE officers and agents," Lyons added. "This isthe second time now we've had ashooting at one of ourfacilities in the Dallas area, and really, it's it's it'sjust a sad time that we have toworry about violence against lawenforcement."

Police responded to the shooting off Interstate 35, and investigators told WFAA-TV that the shooter's body was found on the roof of a nearby immigration attorney's office, and they confirmed after Lyons was on CNN that all three victims were detainees and two of them had died from their wounds.

"Obviously it's reallychaotic," Lyons told Berman. "Dallas policedepartment has been great.They're on scene. It's a largepolice presence there right now.You know, it could be employees, it could be civilians that werevisiting the facility, it couldbe detainees. At this point,we're still working throughthat. We do know that three havedefinitely been shot. They're enroute to the hospital right now.We had great support from localson the ground that are helpingus look for the active shooter, and like I said, right before Ijust walked on set, I got wordthat the shooter is down from aself-inflicted gunshot wound."

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