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| Version 23 | Version 24 |
|---|---|
| Dallas police shooting: officials identify suspect killed in standoff – live | Dallas police shooting: officials identify suspect killed in standoff – live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 7.21pm BST | |
| 19:21 | |
| New information has also emerged about an alleged shooter, Micah Johnson, a 25-year-old Mesquite, Texas resident. | |
| Johnson was an Afghanistan war veteran with no known terrorism ties or criminal record. Earlier today, Dallas police chief David Brown said Johnson told police during negotiations that he wanted to, “kill white people, especially white officers.” | |
| Spencer Ackerman and Amber Jamieson bring us more detail about Johnson, a man allegedly behind the attack. | |
| The man killed by police after five officers were murdered in Dallas on Thursday night was a veteran of the Afghanistan war, the US army has confirmed. | |
| Three suspects remain in police custody, but one was killed during the confrontation by an explosive device set off by a police robot. | |
| The dead suspect is Micah Xavier Johnson, a 25-year-old resident of the Dallas area, law enforcement and government sources who spoke on condition of anonymity told the Associated Press and Reuters. | |
| Johnson, an enlisted US army reservist, deployed to Afghanistan in November 2013 and served there until July 2014, according to his service record, released by the US army on Friday. He was an engineer, and a carpentry and masonry specialist. | |
| His rank was private first class, earned the year after his March 2009 enlistment. He left the military in April 2015 after serving in the 420th Engineer Brigade in Seagoville, Texas. | |
| Johnson had no known ties to terrorism and no criminal record, according to a law enforcement official who spoke to CNN. | |
| On his Facebook page, which has been taken down, his profile picture showed him wearing an African dashiki shirt and raising his fist in a black power salute. Other pictures showed him dressed in military uniform. | |
| During negotiations with police following the shootout in Dallas, he “said he was upset about Black Lives Matter”, Dallas police chief David Brown told the media. “The suspect said he wanted to kill white people, especially white officers. The suspect said that he was not affiliated with any groups and he stated that he did this alone.” | |
| One of the organizers of the Dallas protest, Pastor Jeff Hood, said he did not recognize Johnson and had never heard of him. | |
| Around a half dozen police vehicles were parked outside what was believed to be Johnson’s home in Mesquite, Texas, on Friday, according to the AP. Investigators were seen walking in and out of the two-story brick home located in the suburbs of Dallas. | |
| On the Facebook page of Delphene Johnson, 49, who is believed to be Micah’s mother, friends and family had left messages saying they send their prayers. A photo posted in 2010 by his mother, captioned “my first born Micah at 2”, showed a small, smiling boy dressed in a green and white baseball shirt and blue jeans. | |
| In another photo posted in 2010, a teenage boy in a blue polo shirt sits in front of an old car, with the caption “Micah chilin on the cruise”. | |
| Updated | |
| at 7.23pm BST | |
| 6.57pm BST | |
| 18:57 | |
| Joanna Walters | |
| We are also getting more information about officers killed in last night’s attack in Dallas. | |
| From The Guardian’s Joanna Walters, here’s more about the third deceased police officers to be identified as a victim of Thursday’s shooting. Two more have not been identified. | |
| Michael Krol became a police officer in the Dallas police department in 2007 after previously working in a local county jail system in Michigan. | |
| Krol worked for the Wayne County sheriff’s office jail system from 2003-2007, according to a statement. | |
| His uncle, Jim Ehlke, told ClickonDetroit that his nephew had a passion for helping people and that being an officer was his life dream. | |
| “He got into law enforcement and worked really hard to be a police officer. He spent some time at the correctional facility. It wasn’t quite what he was looking for, so he worked pretty hard to find a job and got one in Dallas,” Ehlke said. “He was all in, he was all in.” | |
| “We are saddened by the loss of the dedicated officers in Dallas – one of whom was a former member of this agency – and also the wounding of the other officers,” Wayne County sheriff Benny Napoleon said in a statement on Friday. “Those officers made the ultimate sacrifice and died honoring their oaths to protect and serve. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their families and also the Dallas police department,” he added. | |
| 6.49pm BST | 6.49pm BST |
| 18:49 | 18:49 |
| The vigil in Thanks-Giving Square is, as we said, very well attended. Here’s a shot from The Guardian’s Jon Swaine, on the ground in Dallas. | The vigil in Thanks-Giving Square is, as we said, very well attended. Here’s a shot from The Guardian’s Jon Swaine, on the ground in Dallas. |
| Thanks-Giving Square in downtown Dallas quickly filling up for a vigil. Mayor and PD chief expected to speak. pic.twitter.com/wl3PoRreu6 | Thanks-Giving Square in downtown Dallas quickly filling up for a vigil. Mayor and PD chief expected to speak. pic.twitter.com/wl3PoRreu6 |
| 6.49pm BST | 6.49pm BST |
| 18:49 | 18:49 |
| Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings spoke passionately at Thanks-Giving Square, following the chief’s comments. Saying America must “attack” the issue of race “head on”. | Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings spoke passionately at Thanks-Giving Square, following the chief’s comments. Saying America must “attack” the issue of race “head on”. |
| We will not shy away from the very real fact that we as a city, as a state, as a nation are struggling with racial issues,” said Rawlings. They continue to divide us.” | We will not shy away from the very real fact that we as a city, as a state, as a nation are struggling with racial issues,” said Rawlings. They continue to divide us.” |
| “Yes it’s that word ‘race’, and we’ve got to attack it head on.” ... | “Yes it’s that word ‘race’, and we’ve got to attack it head on.” ... |
| “This is on my generation of leaders,” said Rawlings. “It is on our watch that we have allowed this to continue to fester.” | “This is on my generation of leaders,” said Rawlings. “It is on our watch that we have allowed this to continue to fester.” |
| Rawlings said American cannot “continue to pit one against the other”, and that the nation must balance the “relatively few officers that blemish the reputation of their high calling,” with the honest and brave “99% of officers”. | Rawlings said American cannot “continue to pit one against the other”, and that the nation must balance the “relatively few officers that blemish the reputation of their high calling,” with the honest and brave “99% of officers”. |
| 6.41pm BST | 6.41pm BST |
| 18:41 | 18:41 |
| The Dallas police chief’s comments leave open the question of how many shooters were present during Thursday evening’s attack, which killed five police officers and injured seven more people during an anti-police violence protest. | The Dallas police chief’s comments leave open the question of how many shooters were present during Thursday evening’s attack, which killed five police officers and injured seven more people during an anti-police violence protest. |
| Earlier Friday, Brown said that the gunman said he had acted “alone”. | Earlier Friday, Brown said that the gunman said he had acted “alone”. |
| 6.20pm BST | 6.20pm BST |
| 18:20 | 18:20 |
| 'We won’t rest until we bring everyone involved to justice.' | 'We won’t rest until we bring everyone involved to justice.' |
| The Dallas chief of police David Brown, speaking at the interfaith vigil, tells the crowd that the attack, “was a well planned, well thought out, evil tragedy by these suspects, and we won’t rest until we bring everyone involved to justice.” | The Dallas chief of police David Brown, speaking at the interfaith vigil, tells the crowd that the attack, “was a well planned, well thought out, evil tragedy by these suspects, and we won’t rest until we bring everyone involved to justice.” |
| Brown also said that he would “Not let this person steal this democracy from us.” | Brown also said that he would “Not let this person steal this democracy from us.” |
| 6.14pm BST | 6.14pm BST |
| 18:14 | 18:14 |
| Faith leaders at vigil promise to 'work together and pray together' | Faith leaders at vigil promise to 'work together and pray together' |
| Faith leaders are now having a very well attended and emotional vigil in Thanks-Giving Square in Dallas, Texas. | Faith leaders are now having a very well attended and emotional vigil in Thanks-Giving Square in Dallas, Texas. |
| “Hate destroys, love builds up,” says a faith leader, as helicopters chop overhead. | “Hate destroys, love builds up,” says a faith leader, as helicopters chop overhead. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.42pm BST | at 6.42pm BST |
| 6.02pm BST | 6.02pm BST |
| 18:02 | 18:02 |
| Dallas police used a robot to detonate a bomb, and kill a shooter identified as 25-year-old Micah Johnson. | Dallas police used a robot to detonate a bomb, and kill a shooter identified as 25-year-old Micah Johnson. |
| It is believed to be the first use of such a robot in history. | It is believed to be the first use of such a robot in history. |
| More from The Guardian’s Sam Thielman: | More from The Guardian’s Sam Thielman: |
| This is not the first time a robot designed with other functions in mind has been used as a weapon, but this kind of repurposing has until now been limited to the military. | This is not the first time a robot designed with other functions in mind has been used as a weapon, but this kind of repurposing has until now been limited to the military. |
| Peter Singer, a strategist and senior fellow at the New America Foundation who writes about the technology of warfare, said that in the early 2000s, a solider he interviewed repurposed a surveillance robot called a Marcbot with a bomb. These robots aren’t autonomous, Singer emphasized – the Marcbot “is like a toy truck with a sensor and camera mount they’d use to drive up to a checkpoint”. But this soldier had improvised: “They duct-taped an explosive and you can figure out the rest. You can see the parallels here.” | Peter Singer, a strategist and senior fellow at the New America Foundation who writes about the technology of warfare, said that in the early 2000s, a solider he interviewed repurposed a surveillance robot called a Marcbot with a bomb. These robots aren’t autonomous, Singer emphasized – the Marcbot “is like a toy truck with a sensor and camera mount they’d use to drive up to a checkpoint”. But this soldier had improvised: “They duct-taped an explosive and you can figure out the rest. You can see the parallels here.” |
| 5.58pm BST | 5.58pm BST |
| 17:58 | 17:58 |
| Turning back to protest organizers’ comments in Dallas, Reverend Dr Jeff Hood, who said he was a primary organizer, told reporters that protests were peaceful and coordinated with the Dallas police. | Turning back to protest organizers’ comments in Dallas, Reverend Dr Jeff Hood, who said he was a primary organizer, told reporters that protests were peaceful and coordinated with the Dallas police. |
| Forty hours ago, when we decided to go out on a limb and see if we could get a protest together to respond to Baton Rouge and St. Paul, never in our wildest dreams would we imagine – first of all the type of crowd that showed up last night,” Hood said, referring to the deaths of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling. | Forty hours ago, when we decided to go out on a limb and see if we could get a protest together to respond to Baton Rouge and St. Paul, never in our wildest dreams would we imagine – first of all the type of crowd that showed up last night,” Hood said, referring to the deaths of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling. |
| “Never would we have imagined that five police officers would be dead this morning.” | “Never would we have imagined that five police officers would be dead this morning.” |
| Hood’s comments did not answer how a shooter may have known the end of the march route, where police said he shot from an “elevated position” at officers. | Hood’s comments did not answer how a shooter may have known the end of the march route, where police said he shot from an “elevated position” at officers. |
| 5.36pm BST | 5.36pm BST |
| 17:36 | 17:36 |
| US Attorney General calls week's shootings 'heartbreaking loss' | US Attorney General calls week's shootings 'heartbreaking loss' |
| Lynch also referenced two police killings that made news this week, in Louisiana and Minnesota. Here are the attorney general’s comments, beginning with her words about this week’s “heartbreaking loss”: | Lynch also referenced two police killings that made news this week, in Louisiana and Minnesota. Here are the attorney general’s comments, beginning with her words about this week’s “heartbreaking loss”: |
| This has been a week of profound grief and heartbreaking loss. The peaceful protest that was planned in Dallas last night was organized in response to the tragic deaths of Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota. | This has been a week of profound grief and heartbreaking loss. The peaceful protest that was planned in Dallas last night was organized in response to the tragic deaths of Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota. |
| We have opened a civil rights investigation in Louisiana and we are providing assistance to local authorities in Minnesota who are leading the investigation there. Today, we are feeling the devastating loss of Dallas Area Rapid Transit Officer Brent Thompson and four other fallen officers whose names remain unreleased as we await notification of all the families. After the events of this week, Americans across the county are feeling a sense of helplessness, of uncertainty and of fear. These feelings are understandable and they are justified. But the answer must not be violence. The answer is never violence. | We have opened a civil rights investigation in Louisiana and we are providing assistance to local authorities in Minnesota who are leading the investigation there. Today, we are feeling the devastating loss of Dallas Area Rapid Transit Officer Brent Thompson and four other fallen officers whose names remain unreleased as we await notification of all the families. After the events of this week, Americans across the county are feeling a sense of helplessness, of uncertainty and of fear. These feelings are understandable and they are justified. But the answer must not be violence. The answer is never violence. |
| Rather, the answer must be action: calm, peaceful, collaborative and determined action. We must continue working to build trust between communities and law enforcement. We must continue working to guarantee every person in this country equal justice under the law. We must take a hard look at the ease with which wrongdoers can get their hands on deadly weapons and the frequency with which they use them. We must reflect on the kind of country we want to build and the kind of society we want to pass on to our children. We must reject the easy impulses of bitterness and rancor and embrace the difficult work of finding a path forward together. | Rather, the answer must be action: calm, peaceful, collaborative and determined action. We must continue working to build trust between communities and law enforcement. We must continue working to guarantee every person in this country equal justice under the law. We must take a hard look at the ease with which wrongdoers can get their hands on deadly weapons and the frequency with which they use them. We must reflect on the kind of country we want to build and the kind of society we want to pass on to our children. We must reject the easy impulses of bitterness and rancor and embrace the difficult work of finding a path forward together. |
| Above all, we must remind ourselves that we are all Americans – and that, as Americans, we share not just a common land, but a common life. Those we have lost this week have come from different neighborhoods and backgrounds – but today, they are mourned by officers and residents, by family and friends – by men and women and children who loved them, who needed them and who will miss them always. They are mourned by all of us. | Above all, we must remind ourselves that we are all Americans – and that, as Americans, we share not just a common land, but a common life. Those we have lost this week have come from different neighborhoods and backgrounds – but today, they are mourned by officers and residents, by family and friends – by men and women and children who loved them, who needed them and who will miss them always. They are mourned by all of us. |
| To the families of all who lost their lives in this series of tragedies, we share your pain and your loss. To our brothers and sisters who wear the badge: I want you to know that I am deeply grateful for the difficult and dangerous work you do every day to keep our streets safe and our nations secure. I am heartbroken at this loss. And the Department of Justice will do all we can to support you in the days ahead. To those who seek to improve our country through peaceful protest and protected speech: I want you to know that your voice is important. Do not be discouraged by those who use your lawful actions as cover for their heinous violence. We will continue to safeguard your constitutional rights and to work with you in the difficult mission of building a better nation and a brighter future. And to all Americans: I ask you not to allow the events of this week to precipitate a ‘new normal’ in our country. I ask you to turn to each other, not against each other as we move forward. | To the families of all who lost their lives in this series of tragedies, we share your pain and your loss. To our brothers and sisters who wear the badge: I want you to know that I am deeply grateful for the difficult and dangerous work you do every day to keep our streets safe and our nations secure. I am heartbroken at this loss. And the Department of Justice will do all we can to support you in the days ahead. To those who seek to improve our country through peaceful protest and protected speech: I want you to know that your voice is important. Do not be discouraged by those who use your lawful actions as cover for their heinous violence. We will continue to safeguard your constitutional rights and to work with you in the difficult mission of building a better nation and a brighter future. And to all Americans: I ask you not to allow the events of this week to precipitate a ‘new normal’ in our country. I ask you to turn to each other, not against each other as we move forward. |
| And I urge you to remember, today and every day, that we are one nation. We are one people. And we stand together. May God bless the families and loved ones of all who were taken from us this week. And may God bless the United States of America. | And I urge you to remember, today and every day, that we are one nation. We are one people. And we stand together. May God bless the families and loved ones of all who were taken from us this week. And may God bless the United States of America. |
| 5.23pm BST | 5.23pm BST |
| 17:23 | 17:23 |
| US Attorney General Loretta Lynch, who heads the Department of Justice now investigating several police departments around the country for civil rights violations, tells Americans: “Do not let this week precipitate a new normal in this country.” | US Attorney General Loretta Lynch, who heads the Department of Justice now investigating several police departments around the country for civil rights violations, tells Americans: “Do not let this week precipitate a new normal in this country.” |
| “I ask you to turn to each other and not against each other.” | “I ask you to turn to each other and not against each other.” |
| U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch makes remarks on #Dallas shootings. https://t.co/EQH2HDA19Y | U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch makes remarks on #Dallas shootings. https://t.co/EQH2HDA19Y |
| 5.13pm BST | 5.13pm BST |
| 17:13 | 17:13 |
| US Attorney General Loretta Lynch is now speaking – we will return to Reverend Dr Jeff Hood’s comments in Dallas, Texas. | US Attorney General Loretta Lynch is now speaking – we will return to Reverend Dr Jeff Hood’s comments in Dallas, Texas. |
| 5.12pm BST | 5.12pm BST |
| 17:12 | 17:12 |
| We’re now listening to organizers of the march speak about the events last night in Dallas. Reverend Dr Jeff Hood, who identified himself as a primary organizer of the march, speaks about his experience during the shooting: | We’re now listening to organizers of the march speak about the events last night in Dallas. Reverend Dr Jeff Hood, who identified himself as a primary organizer of the march, speaks about his experience during the shooting: |
| “We have got to turn to love.” | “We have got to turn to love.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 5.16pm BST | at 5.16pm BST |