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| Obama heads to Dallas vigil for five officers killed in protest shooting | Obama heads to Dallas vigil for five officers killed in protest shooting |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Barack Obama arrived in Dallas on Tuesday to speak at an interfaith memorial service for the five police officers killed in a mass shooting on Thursday night. | |
| The president’s predecessor, George W Bush, who lives in the city, will also speak at the event, which first lady Michelle Obama, former first lady Laura Bush and Vice-President Joe Biden will attend. | |
| An address following a mass shooting has become, in some ways, the hallmark of Obama’s presidency. A month ago he spoke in Orlando, Florida, following the massacre of 49 club-goers there. Last year, after a gunman shot nine people dead in a church in Charleston, South Carolina, the president sang Amazing Grace. Following the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting he told the nation: “We’re going to have to come together.” | An address following a mass shooting has become, in some ways, the hallmark of Obama’s presidency. A month ago he spoke in Orlando, Florida, following the massacre of 49 club-goers there. Last year, after a gunman shot nine people dead in a church in Charleston, South Carolina, the president sang Amazing Grace. Following the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting he told the nation: “We’re going to have to come together.” |
| The president faces a doubly difficult task in Dallas, however, as he navigates two intersecting social fault lines: gun violence in America, and the rising confrontation between police and the people they are meant to protect, particularly African Americans. | The president faces a doubly difficult task in Dallas, however, as he navigates two intersecting social fault lines: gun violence in America, and the rising confrontation between police and the people they are meant to protect, particularly African Americans. |
| Obama cut short a visit to Europe to return for the address; during his travels he expressed “anger” about the shootings in Dallas along with the recent deaths of black men in shootings by police in Louisiana and Minnesota. | Obama cut short a visit to Europe to return for the address; during his travels he expressed “anger” about the shootings in Dallas along with the recent deaths of black men in shootings by police in Louisiana and Minnesota. |
| He seemed careful to draw a distinction between the perpetrator of the Dallas shootings, 25-year-old Micah Johnson, and the broader discontent among protesters against police violence in general, cautioning the American public to not believe “the act of a troubled individual speaks to some larger political statement across the country”. | He seemed careful to draw a distinction between the perpetrator of the Dallas shootings, 25-year-old Micah Johnson, and the broader discontent among protesters against police violence in general, cautioning the American public to not believe “the act of a troubled individual speaks to some larger political statement across the country”. |
| Obama told senior law enforcement officials on Monday that he saw the Dallas shooting as a hate crime, or one motivated by bias, said Jim Pasco, executive director of the National Fraternal Order of Police, who was in the closed-door meeting at the White House. | Obama told senior law enforcement officials on Monday that he saw the Dallas shooting as a hate crime, or one motivated by bias, said Jim Pasco, executive director of the National Fraternal Order of Police, who was in the closed-door meeting at the White House. |
| Pasco said Obama drew parallels between the actions of the Dallas shooter and the Charleston killings, which prosecutors have said were perpetrated by a man who espoused white supremacist beliefs, Dylann Roof. Johnson, who was black, said that he wanted to “kill white people”, particularly police, according to a police account of their unsuccessful negotiations with him. | Pasco said Obama drew parallels between the actions of the Dallas shooter and the Charleston killings, which prosecutors have said were perpetrated by a man who espoused white supremacist beliefs, Dylann Roof. Johnson, who was black, said that he wanted to “kill white people”, particularly police, according to a police account of their unsuccessful negotiations with him. |
| White House officials on Tuesday did not dispute Pasco’s account of the meeting. | White House officials on Tuesday did not dispute Pasco’s account of the meeting. |
| On board Air Force One en route to Dallas on Tuesday, the president phoned family members of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, the two black men killed by police in Louisiana and Minnesota last week. | |
| Obama will also meet the families of the slain policemen and others who were wounded, the White House said. On Wednesday, Obama will host a meeting with law enforcement officials, activists and civil rights leaders to discuss ways to repair “the bonds of trust” between communities and police. | Obama will also meet the families of the slain policemen and others who were wounded, the White House said. On Wednesday, Obama will host a meeting with law enforcement officials, activists and civil rights leaders to discuss ways to repair “the bonds of trust” between communities and police. |
| The memorial will be one of a series throughout the week in Dallas. Before Obama’s arrival, the citizens of Dallas turned out in the thousands on Monday night to pay tribute to the five police officers killed by Johnson on Thursday. Nine officers were also wounded in the shooting. | The memorial will be one of a series throughout the week in Dallas. Before Obama’s arrival, the citizens of Dallas turned out in the thousands on Monday night to pay tribute to the five police officers killed by Johnson on Thursday. Nine officers were also wounded in the shooting. |
| The police invited the public to a candlelight vigil outside city hall, and the memorial offered residents a glimpse of police in rare form: open, personal, emotional. | The police invited the public to a candlelight vigil outside city hall, and the memorial offered residents a glimpse of police in rare form: open, personal, emotional. |
| At sunset, rows of officers stood and saluted the families of the deceased as they entered the plaza outside city hall. The family members were many; the attack during a protest against the deaths of African American men in confrontations with police officers marked the worst mass shooting of police in more than three decades. | At sunset, rows of officers stood and saluted the families of the deceased as they entered the plaza outside city hall. The family members were many; the attack during a protest against the deaths of African American men in confrontations with police officers marked the worst mass shooting of police in more than three decades. |
| The department’s top commanders spoke, but the vigil was designed as a chance for Dallas itself to offer condolences. A bank of television cameras was kept to the side of the plaza so members of the public, who stood for the hour-long service, could have an unobstructed view of the podium. | The department’s top commanders spoke, but the vigil was designed as a chance for Dallas itself to offer condolences. A bank of television cameras was kept to the side of the plaza so members of the public, who stood for the hour-long service, could have an unobstructed view of the podium. |
| Police from the neighboring city of Arlington provided security so officers from the Dallas police department and area transit police department could mourn their colleagues. | Police from the neighboring city of Arlington provided security so officers from the Dallas police department and area transit police department could mourn their colleagues. |
| Chaplain Sean Pease opened the service by reading a section of scripture from 1 Corinthians normally reserved for weddings. It took on a new significance in the context of violent confrontations between police and protesters: | Chaplain Sean Pease opened the service by reading a section of scripture from 1 Corinthians normally reserved for weddings. It took on a new significance in the context of violent confrontations between police and protesters: |
| “Love is patient, love is kind … it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs,” he said. “It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” | “Love is patient, love is kind … it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs,” he said. “It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” |
| Ron Pinkston, president of the Dallas police association, read each of the men’s names as an honor guard brought forward large photographs of them. | Ron Pinkston, president of the Dallas police association, read each of the men’s names as an honor guard brought forward large photographs of them. |
| Family members put their arms around each other, and wept quietly into handkerchiefs. | Family members put their arms around each other, and wept quietly into handkerchiefs. |
| “To the families,” Pinkston said with a halting voice, “we want you to know we will always be there for you.” | “To the families,” Pinkston said with a halting voice, “we want you to know we will always be there for you.” |
| The crowd had remained silent throughout the service, but when the police chief, David Brown, stepped to the podium, the audience erupted in cheers and applause. | The crowd had remained silent throughout the service, but when the police chief, David Brown, stepped to the podium, the audience erupted in cheers and applause. |
| Before Thursday’s attack, Brown was known for transforming a troubled police force into a model of transparency and forthrightness. Since the shooting he has won acclaim for maintaining that stance; at a news conference on Monday morning Brown appeared stoic and straight-backed, but confessed he was “running on fumes”. His feelings, he said, were “raw”. | Before Thursday’s attack, Brown was known for transforming a troubled police force into a model of transparency and forthrightness. Since the shooting he has won acclaim for maintaining that stance; at a news conference on Monday morning Brown appeared stoic and straight-backed, but confessed he was “running on fumes”. His feelings, he said, were “raw”. |
| At the vigil he began his address by recalling how, as a boy, he would sprint home to hear the opening lines of the Superman television show. His obsession led him to work among real-life heroes, he told the crowd. | At the vigil he began his address by recalling how, as a boy, he would sprint home to hear the opening lines of the Superman television show. His obsession led him to work among real-life heroes, he told the crowd. |
| “We have an example of how to conquer this tragedy,” he said. “When the good Lord was crucified and arose again on the third day, alive, he said, ‘O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?’” | “We have an example of how to conquer this tragedy,” he said. “When the good Lord was crucified and arose again on the third day, alive, he said, ‘O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?’” |
| He lowered his voice further. “We’ll not only be loving you today. We’ll be loving you always.” | He lowered his voice further. “We’ll not only be loving you today. We’ll be loving you always.” |
| Then he addressed the crowd again. | Then he addressed the crowd again. |
| “Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound,” he said. “Look, it’s a train. It’s a plane. No – it’s Patricio Zamarripa. Look – it’s Brent Thompson. It’s Michael Krol. It’s Lorne Ahrens. It’s Michael Smith.” | “Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound,” he said. “Look, it’s a train. It’s a plane. No – it’s Patricio Zamarripa. Look – it’s Brent Thompson. It’s Michael Krol. It’s Lorne Ahrens. It’s Michael Smith.” |
| A friend or partner stood for each of the victims, and offered small, human details. | A friend or partner stood for each of the victims, and offered small, human details. |
| During quiet moments Smith liked to make little paper frogs for his daughter. | During quiet moments Smith liked to make little paper frogs for his daughter. |
| Zamarripa was a huge fan of Texas Rangers baseball. | Zamarripa was a huge fan of Texas Rangers baseball. |
| Krol loved to play pool. | Krol loved to play pool. |
| Thompson, who worked for the city’s transit police department, was a former marine. | Thompson, who worked for the city’s transit police department, was a former marine. |
| Ahrens was such a big man his partner wondered whether he could fit in a squad car, but he was fast on his feet. | Ahrens was such a big man his partner wondered whether he could fit in a squad car, but he was fast on his feet. |
| The crowd lit candles and held them up as bagpipes played, and kept them aloft as the families filed out. | The crowd lit candles and held them up as bagpipes played, and kept them aloft as the families filed out. |
| Once the ceremony was over, people seemed reluctant to leave the plaza, mingling and talking, taking pictures with the officers’ oversized photographs, meeting officers who were injured during Thursday’s attack. | Once the ceremony was over, people seemed reluctant to leave the plaza, mingling and talking, taking pictures with the officers’ oversized photographs, meeting officers who were injured during Thursday’s attack. |
| Outside the police headquarters downtown there were two police cars parked on the street, but they were invisible; passersby had buried them in flowers. | Outside the police headquarters downtown there were two police cars parked on the street, but they were invisible; passersby had buried them in flowers. |
| Reuters contributed to this report | Reuters contributed to this report |