No explosives were found inside the car used by two gunman who opened fire on a Garland community center Sunday, police say.
Spokesman Joe Harn with the Garland Police Department said a bomb squad searched the vehicle, and detonated several suspicious objects found inside the vehicle, but that no explosives were found.
The two men pulled up to an entrance at the Curtis Culwell Center at about 7 p.m. Sunday, guarded by a police officer and Garland Independent School District security guard, and exited their vehicle.
As they did the officers exited their patrol car and were immediately under fire. The armed police officer returned fire, killing both men.
While the names of the gunmen have not been confirmed by police, but a federal law enforcement official told NBC 5's Scott Gordon one of the suspects in the shooting is Elton Simpson, a 31-year-old known to the FBI since 2005. NBC News confirmed the name of the second suspect as Nadir Soofi.
Harn said during a news conference Monday the officer saved numerous lives as the gunmen apparently intended to shoot a lot of people attending the contest.
The men were apparently protesting an art contest to award $10,000 for cartoon depictions of the Prophet Muhammad -- drawings of the prophet, even respectful ones, are largely regarded as blasphemous among followers of Islam.
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Harn said while there had been some chatter regarding the event, police weren't aware of any specific threat.
