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| Dallas shooting: 11 police officers shot, 4 killed by snipers at anti-violence protest | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The city of Dallas was plunged into chaos on Thursday night as four police officers were shot dead and at least seven others were wounded when dozens of shots were fired during a downtown protest. | |
| Dallas police chief David Brown said in a statement that “two snipers” shot at officers “from elevated positions”. Four officers were struck fatally and several of the wounded were reported to be in surgery or a critical condition. | |
| Brown said at a press conference that the snipers appeared to have positioned themselves on perches at downtown garages during an orchestrated attack and “planned to injure and kill as many law enforcement officers as they could”. | |
| Related: Dallas protest shooting: 11 police shot, four dead, as bomb claim investigated – live | |
| The Dallas police department announced it had a suspect in custody after Brown said officers had been negotiating with a suspect believed to be one of the shooters who was cornered on the second floor of a garage. | |
| A “suspicious package” was found near the suspect, according to the department. Brown had said authorities believed the suspects had “threatened to plant a bomb in the downtown area”. He said the FBI and ATF had been asked to assist in investigating the threat. | |
| The Dallas Area Rapid Transit system announced on Twitter that four of its police officers had been struck, one fatally. The injuries to the other three officers were described as “not life-threatening”. | The Dallas Area Rapid Transit system announced on Twitter that four of its police officers had been struck, one fatally. The injuries to the other three officers were described as “not life-threatening”. |
| Dan Patrick, the lieutenant governor of Texas, said on Twitter: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the police officers who were shot in Dallas tonight.” | Dan Patrick, the lieutenant governor of Texas, said on Twitter: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the police officers who were shot in Dallas tonight.” |
| Speaking alongside the police chief at the press conference, Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings described the shootings as “our worst nightmare”. He added: “It is a heartbreaking moment for the city of Dallas.” | |
| Texas governor Greg Abbott said in a statement that his “thoughts and prayers” were with the families of those officers who had been shot. “In times like these we must remember and emphasize – the importance of uniting as Americans.” | |
| Protests had broken out around the US earlier in the evening over the fatal police shootings of two African American men, Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge on Tuesday and Philando Castile, on Wednesday in Minneapolis. | Protests had broken out around the US earlier in the evening over the fatal police shootings of two African American men, Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge on Tuesday and Philando Castile, on Wednesday in Minneapolis. |
| Related: Minnesota governor blames Philando Castile police killing on racial bias | |
| As large protests grew in cities such as New York City and Minneapolis, a similar demonstration in Dallas appeared to be proceeding peacefully and in good spirits. Police estimated that about 800 protesters and 100 officers were present. At 7:12pm local time, officers were posing for photographs with demonstrators. | |
| Police and witnesses said that at 8:58pm, however, shots rang out. | |
| Video footage captured by local television cameras and witnesses on social media showed at least one officer on the ground. Protesters were seen fleeing through the streets of downtown Dallas screaming as multiple shots rang out in quick succession. | Video footage captured by local television cameras and witnesses on social media showed at least one officer on the ground. Protesters were seen fleeing through the streets of downtown Dallas screaming as multiple shots rang out in quick succession. |
| “Everyone just started running,” Devante Odom, 21, an eyewitness, told the Dallas Morning News . “We lost touch with two of our friends just trying to get out of there.” | “Everyone just started running,” Devante Odom, 21, an eyewitness, told the Dallas Morning News . “We lost touch with two of our friends just trying to get out of there.” |
| The Dallas Area Rapid Transit suspended all bus and rail service in downtown. Streets appeared to have been cleared by officers and people ordered while officers searched for suspects. | The Dallas Area Rapid Transit suspended all bus and rail service in downtown. Streets appeared to have been cleared by officers and people ordered while officers searched for suspects. |
| The deaths of the officers were the first fatal shootings of law enforcement around demonstrations since unrest spread across the US after the fatal shooting by police of an unarmed black 18-year-old in Ferguson, Missouri, in August 2014. | |
| Two officers were wounded by gunfire while guarding the Ferguson police headquarters during a protest in March last year. A 20-year-old man was charged with crimes including first-degree assault and has pleaded not guilty. | |
| In December 2014 two New York police officers were killed in an ambush-style attack by Ismaaiyl Brinsley, who then killed himself. Before the shooting Brinsley, who had mental health problems, had mentioned on social media high-profile cases of black men being killed by police. | |
| This is a breaking story, please check back for more developments | This is a breaking story, please check back for more developments |