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| 5 Dallas Officers Killed at Protest Against Police Shootings | 5 Dallas Officers Killed at Protest Against Police Shootings |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| DALLAS — Snipers killed five Dallas police officers and wounded six others on Thursday night during a demonstration against shootings by officers in Minnesota and Louisiana this week, the authorities said. | |
| It appeared to be the deadliest attack on law enforcement officers in the United States since 9/11. The shootings, only a few blocks from Dealey Plaza, where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, transformed an emotional but peaceful rally into a scene of carnage and chaos, and injected a volatile new dimension into the anguished debate over racial disparities in American criminal justice. | |
| “There has been a vicious, calculated and despicable attack on law enforcement,” President Obama told reporters Friday morning after a meeting with European leaders in Warsaw, after speaking by phone with Mayor Mike Rawlings of Dallas. | |
| Mr. Obama went on: “Police in Dallas were on duty doing their jobs, keeping people safe, during peaceful protests. These law enforcement officers were targeted, and nearly a dozen officers were shot. Five were killed. Other officers, and at least one civilian, were wounded. Some are in serious condition and we are praying for their recovery.” | |
| The Dallas police chief, David O. Brown, said that four suspects armed with rifles were believed to have carried out the attacks. They positioned themselves in triangulated locations near the end of the route the protesters planned to take. | |
| The police had three people in custody and were negotiating in the early-morning hours with a fourth, who was in a garage in downtown Dallas at the El Centro community college. | |
| That suspect had exchanged gunfire with the police and was being uncooperative in talks, Chief Brown said at a news conference in the lobby of City Hall. | That suspect had exchanged gunfire with the police and was being uncooperative in talks, Chief Brown said at a news conference in the lobby of City Hall. |
| The suspect “told our negotiators that the end is coming and he’s going to hurt and kill more of us, meaning law enforcement, and that there are bombs all over the place in this garage and downtown,” Chief Brown said. | |
| “We are being very careful in our tactics so that we don’t injure or put any of our officers in harm’s way, including the citizens of Dallas, as we negotiate further,” he added. | “We are being very careful in our tactics so that we don’t injure or put any of our officers in harm’s way, including the citizens of Dallas, as we negotiate further,” he added. |
| Local news accounts said that the suspect may have shot himself in the garage early Friday, but those reports could not be immediately confirmed. Chief Brown was scheduled to provide an update at a news conference at 7:30 a.m. in Dallas. | |
| The three other suspects were a woman who was taken from the garage and two others who were taken in for questioning after a traffic stop. | |
| Chief Brown said the suspects in custody were not providing investigators with many details. “We just are not getting the cooperation we’d like, to know that answer of why, the motivation, who they are,” he said. | Chief Brown said the suspects in custody were not providing investigators with many details. “We just are not getting the cooperation we’d like, to know that answer of why, the motivation, who they are,” he said. |
| The shooting had been carried out by snipers who fired down on a demonstration in the city’s downtown area that until that point had been peaceful, the chief said. | The shooting had been carried out by snipers who fired down on a demonstration in the city’s downtown area that until that point had been peaceful, the chief said. |
| They “planned to injure and kill as many law enforcement officers as they could,” Chief Brown said. | They “planned to injure and kill as many law enforcement officers as they could,” Chief Brown said. |
| “Some were shot in the back,” the chief said. “We believe that these suspects were positioning themselves in a way to triangulate on these officers.” | “Some were shot in the back,” the chief said. “We believe that these suspects were positioning themselves in a way to triangulate on these officers.” |
| Maj. Max Geron of the Dallas Police Department said that the city’s downtown was being swept for explosives, a process that would “take quite a while.” | Maj. Max Geron of the Dallas Police Department said that the city’s downtown was being swept for explosives, a process that would “take quite a while.” |
| The police said that four of the dead were Dallas police officers and that one was from the Dallas Area Rapid Transit force. The transit agency identified him as Brent Thompson, 43. He joined in 2009 and was the first DART officer to be killed in the line of duty. | The police said that four of the dead were Dallas police officers and that one was from the Dallas Area Rapid Transit force. The transit agency identified him as Brent Thompson, 43. He joined in 2009 and was the first DART officer to be killed in the line of duty. |
| A civilian in the crowd of almost 1,000 people was also wounded. | A civilian in the crowd of almost 1,000 people was also wounded. |
| The police were also combing downtown Dallas for what they believed was a bomb planted by the snipers as the heart of the country’s ninth-largest city was put on lockdown. | The police were also combing downtown Dallas for what they believed was a bomb planted by the snipers as the heart of the country’s ninth-largest city was put on lockdown. |
| The chief said he had contacted the F.B.I. and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for help in the investigation. | The chief said he had contacted the F.B.I. and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for help in the investigation. |
| Chief Brown said that he was not confident that the police had apprehended everyone involved in the shooting, and that a rigorous investigation would continue until “we are confident that all suspects have been captured.” | Chief Brown said that he was not confident that the police had apprehended everyone involved in the shooting, and that a rigorous investigation would continue until “we are confident that all suspects have been captured.” |
| “I can just tell you I’ve never been more proud of being a police officer and being a part of this noble profession,” he said. | “I can just tell you I’ve never been more proud of being a police officer and being a part of this noble profession,” he said. |
| The shooting unfolded near one of the busiest parts of the city’s downtown, filled with hotels and restaurants as well as Dallas County government buildings. Videos of the scene circulated widely on social media. In many of them, gunshots could be heard ringing out against a city illuminated by flashing police lights. Teams of armed officers could be seen running through the area. | The shooting unfolded near one of the busiest parts of the city’s downtown, filled with hotels and restaurants as well as Dallas County government buildings. Videos of the scene circulated widely on social media. In many of them, gunshots could be heard ringing out against a city illuminated by flashing police lights. Teams of armed officers could be seen running through the area. |
| Although the shooting occurred during a rally to protest police-involved shootings, it was unclear what relationship the gunmen had to the demonstration. | Although the shooting occurred during a rally to protest police-involved shootings, it was unclear what relationship the gunmen had to the demonstration. |
| It was unknown what the motives were, “except they fired on the police,” said Clay Jenkins, the Dallas County judge and the county’s chief executive. “All government buildings in that area are on lockdown. That’s the government center where this is happening.” | It was unknown what the motives were, “except they fired on the police,” said Clay Jenkins, the Dallas County judge and the county’s chief executive. “All government buildings in that area are on lockdown. That’s the government center where this is happening.” |
| Chief Brown said it was too early in the investigation to say whether there was any connection between the shooters and the demonstration. He suggested that those involved had some knowledge of the march route. | Chief Brown said it was too early in the investigation to say whether there was any connection between the shooters and the demonstration. He suggested that those involved had some knowledge of the march route. |
| “How would you know to post up there?” he said. “So we’re leaving every motive on the table of how this happened and why this happened.” He added, “We have yet to determine whether or not there was some complicity with the planning of this, but we will be pursuing that.” | “How would you know to post up there?” he said. “So we’re leaving every motive on the table of how this happened and why this happened.” He added, “We have yet to determine whether or not there was some complicity with the planning of this, but we will be pursuing that.” |
| A witness told CNN that she was standing on Main Street shortly before 9 p.m. when “all of a sudden we started hearing, ‘Pop pop pop pop pop.’ ” | A witness told CNN that she was standing on Main Street shortly before 9 p.m. when “all of a sudden we started hearing, ‘Pop pop pop pop pop.’ ” |
| “I don’t think I’ve ever run so fast in my life,” she said. | “I don’t think I’ve ever run so fast in my life,” she said. |
| The Dallas Police Association confirmed that officers were injured, posting on Twitter: “Pray for Dallas tonight. Officers down.” | The Dallas Police Association confirmed that officers were injured, posting on Twitter: “Pray for Dallas tonight. Officers down.” |
| More than an hour after the shootings — but before the suspects were in custody — the mood in Dallas remained tense. | More than an hour after the shootings — but before the suspects were in custody — the mood in Dallas remained tense. |
| In one section of downtown, officers asked an African-American man wearing a bulletproof vest to walk toward them. The man slowly approached with his hands up, and a crowd of onlookers became angry and shouted and cursed at the police. An officer had his gun pointed at a black woman, and many in the crowd quickly began filming the scene with their cellphones. The tension eased as people in the crowd chanted, “Black lives matter.” | In one section of downtown, officers asked an African-American man wearing a bulletproof vest to walk toward them. The man slowly approached with his hands up, and a crowd of onlookers became angry and shouted and cursed at the police. An officer had his gun pointed at a black woman, and many in the crowd quickly began filming the scene with their cellphones. The tension eased as people in the crowd chanted, “Black lives matter.” |
| The shootings occurred after Mr. Obama, reacting with the same horror as many Americans to a video of a dying man in Minnesota who was shot by the police, implored the nation to confront the racial disparities in law enforcement while acknowledging the dangers that officers faced. | |
| In Warsaw on Friday morning, Mr. Obama said that anger about racial disparities in criminal justice was no grounds for violence. “We will learn more, undoubtedly, about their twisted motivations, but let’s be clear: There’s no possible justification for these kinds of attacks, or any violence against law enforcement,” he said. | |
| He added: “Our police have an extraordinarily difficult job, and the vast majority of them do their job in outstanding fashion.” He said that Thursday night’s attack was “a wrenching reminder of the sacrifices that they make for us.” | |
| Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas said in a statement, “In times like these, we must remember — and emphasize — the importance of uniting as Americans.” He said he had directed the state’s Department of Public Safety “to offer whatever assistance the City of Dallas needs at this time.” | |
| Mayor Rawlings cautioned residents that the downtown area was still a crime scene and told people who worked in the area to check DallasCityNews.net to see which buildings were open. | Mayor Rawlings cautioned residents that the downtown area was still a crime scene and told people who worked in the area to check DallasCityNews.net to see which buildings were open. |
| “It is a heartbreaking morning to lose these four officers that proudly served our citizens,” he said. “To say that our police officers put their life on the line every day is no hyperbole, ladies and gentlemen. It’s a reality.” | “It is a heartbreaking morning to lose these four officers that proudly served our citizens,” he said. “To say that our police officers put their life on the line every day is no hyperbole, ladies and gentlemen. It’s a reality.” |
| The protest was planned by Dominique R. Alexander, an ordained minister and the head of the Next Generation Action Network. | The protest was planned by Dominique R. Alexander, an ordained minister and the head of the Next Generation Action Network. |
| He said that the organization “does not condone violence against any human being, and we condemn anyone who wants to commit violence.” | He said that the organization “does not condone violence against any human being, and we condemn anyone who wants to commit violence.” |
| “I was right there when the shooting happened,” Mr. Alexander said. “They could have shot me.” | “I was right there when the shooting happened,” Mr. Alexander said. “They could have shot me.” |