Five police officers were killed and seven others injured by snipers on Friday in “ambush-style” firing in the US city of Dallas during a protest against the fatal police shootings of black men this week, making it one of the deadliest attacks on law enforcers in America since 9/11.
The main suspect has been identified as 25-year-old Micah Johnson, who was later killed in a blast caused by a robot- controlled explosive device sent in by officers. Johnson was army reservist and Afghan veteran, officials said.
The shooting began near one of the busiest parts of the city's downtown, filled with hotels and restaurants.
Dallas Police Chief David Brown said two snipers fired “ambush-style” from an elevated position. The shootings, which police described as a “terrorist incident”, sent hundreds of people fleeing through the streets in panic.
Brown said officers cornered one of the suspects and tried to negotiate with him for several hours before talks broke down. After an exchange of gunfire, officers attached explosives to a robot and detonated them near the suspect.
The official said the suspect told negotiators that he was upset about recent shootings involving police officers.
“The suspect said he wanted to kill white people, especially white officers,” he said. The suspect also told police that he was working alone.
“We're hurting. Our profession is hurting. Dallas officers are hurting. We are heartbroken. There are no words to describe the atrocity that occurred to our city. All I know is that this must stop - this divisiveness between our police and our citizens,” Brown said. Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said police have swept the area where the standoff took place and found no explosives.
Police said earlier three other suspects were in custody in connection with the shooting, though Brown said they were still investigating.
“I'm not going to be satisfied until we turn over every stone,” he said. “If there's someone out there associated with this, we will find you.”
According to the police chief, the suspects have threatened to have placed a bomb in the downtown area and that his department was coordinating with federal agencies.
Meanwhile, a man Virginia man has been charged with attempting to assist the Islamic State by photographing targets in the Washington, D.C., area for what he thought would be a video encouraging lone-wolf terrorist attacks in the nation's capital. Haris Qamar, 25, of Burke was arrested Friday morning, according to the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. He is the second person this week from the northern Virginia suburbs to be charged at the federal courthouse in Alexandria with attempting to support the ISIS.