Man who killed Lyft driver and opened fire at Plano police station may have been inspired by terrorists

Updated at 21:51: Revised to include comment from a lawyer for Imran Rasheed’s family.

Man who killed a Lyft driver on Sunday afternoon in Garland, then opened fire on Plano police headquarters before an officer shot him may have been inspired by foreign terrorists, authorities say .

Imran Ali Rasheed, 32, of Garland died of injuries he sustained in Sunday’s shooting, police said at a press conference on Monday. The woman who was killed on Sunday has been identified as Isabella Lewis of Garland, 26.

Authorities said Rasheed left a note that could explain his motivation was terrorism, but said they had no evidence that he had been in contact with a terrorist group.

Garland officers were called sunday morning at the 400 block of Forest Gate Drive, near Forest Lane and Shiloh Road, where they found Lewis dead. Police quickly learned that his car had been stolen and informed other law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout.

Shortly thereafter, Rasheed, who was “behaving erratically”, entered the lobby of Plano police headquarters, left and then returned with a handgun. A civilian employee, who was in the lobby with a visitor, attempted to speak to him to calm the situation, but Rasheed opened fire.

The two people in the lobby took cover and two officers who heard gunshots responded.

One of the officers attempted to shoot Rasheed through bulletproof glass. The second entered the hall through a side door and fired three shots, all of which hit Rasheed. Rasheed also shot the officer.

Authorities found Lewis’ car in the seat parking lot and learned that Rasheed was the last passenger she boarded. Garland Police Chief Jeff Bryan said there was no indication the two knew each other. He said the shooting was filmed.

Bryan also said police found a note in the vehicle, apparently left by Rasheed, the contents of which led them to contact the FBI.

Matthew DeSarno, special agent in charge of the FBI office in Dallas, said authorities believe Rasheed may have been inspired by foreign terrorist organizations to carry out Sunday’s acts.

But DeSarno said there was no evidence that Rasheed was led by or in contact with such a group. The FBI continues to investigate who Rasheed may have been in contact with.

Rasheed was the subject of an FBI counterterrorism investigation from 2010 to 2013, but that case was dismissed after investigators determined he did not pose a threat at the time, DeSarno said.

This investigation was reviewed and DeSarno said he was “satisfied that the investigation team conducted this investigation properly and thoroughly.”

Rasheed did not appear to have a criminal record in Texas, and police said they had no contact with him except for a ten-year-old traffic accident in Garland.

“We have no idea why he came to Plano to confront the police,” said Plano police chief Ed Drain.

Drain said his department was completing an investigation into the shooting with the Collin County District Attorney’s Office. He did not disclose the name of the officer who shot Rasheed.

Drain said the police headquarters, which had been closed after the shooting, should reopen by Wednesday.

Authorities also said at Monday’s press conference that they wanted justice for Lewis.

“We’re going to do everything we can to support this family,” Bryan said.

Lyft said in a statement that it was ready to help law enforcement.

“We are heartbroken by this incident, and our hearts are with those close to the driver during this incredibly difficult time,” the company said.

Bubba King, a lawyer representing Rasheed’s family, told WFAA-TV (Channel 8) that his relatives were shocked by the case and saw no signs of radicalization of the 32-year-old. He was recently fired from his job and was struggling with a medical diagnosis.

The family were cooperating with authorities and expressed condolences to Lewis’s family, King told the station.

DeSarno urged residents to report information about the case or any other suspicious activity, to advice.fbi.gov or 1-800-225-5324.

“There is always at least one person … who could potentially alert law enforcement to ongoing violent actions,” he said.