Live Updates: Two Injured El Centro College Officers Continued To Protect Others During Shooting

Corporal Bryan Shaw and Officer John Abbott continued to protect other officers and civilians even after being injured in the shooting.

What We Know So Far

  • Twelve officers were shot during a Dallas protest against the killings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota this week.
  • Five of those officers died — four from the Dallas Police Department and one Dallas Area Rapid Transport (DART) officer.
  • Two civilians were also wounded in the attack.
  • Micah Johnson, the suspected gunman, was killed following a standoff with police.
  • Johnson told law enforcement that he was upset about Black Lives Matter and recent police shootings.
  • Dallas police chief said they suspect the gunman was planning a much larger attack with explosives.
  • A memorial service is planned for Tuesday. President Obama and former President Bush are scheduled to speak.

Updates

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Two injured El Centro College police officers continued to protect others during the attack

Two officers at El Centro College continued to protect others even after they were injured in the Dallas shootings, the school stated in a message on Monday.

Corporal Bryan Shaw was shot when the shooter, Micah Johnson, opened fire near the glass doors of the college's entrance, sustaining a hit under his vest by one of the bullets that broke through the glass.

"Shaw returned to protect other officers and civilians with bullet fragments still lodged in his stomach and was not examined by Emergency Medical Services personnel until 3 a.m.," the college said.

Officer John Abbott, who was also guarding the entrance, was injured in both legs by shattered glass.

Abbott, who is a U.S. navy corpsman and medic, first tried to save the life of injured DART Officer Brent Thompson, who died at the scene. Abbott then took care of his own injuries from the broken glass before he returned to protect other officers and civilians, the college said.

Tasneem Nashrulla

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Dallas Police Chief David Brown said it was not an "ethical dilemma" for him to send a bomb robot to kill the suspect and that he would "use any tool necessary to save officers' lives."

At a press conference Monday, Brown addressed his decision to send a bomb robot to kill Micah Johnson after negotiations with him broke down.

"This wasn't an ethical dilemma for me," Brown said. "I'd do it again to save officers' lives."

The $151,000 MarcV-A1 robot was attached with an explosive device that detonated near the suspect, killing him. Brown said that the suspect had "already killed officers in a grave way" and "was asking us how many did he get."

"I would use any tool necessary to save our officers' lives and I'm not ashamed to say it," he added.

Brown also urged protesters to "get off that protest line," submit an application to become a police officer to "help resolve some of the problems you're protesting about."

"Become part of the solution," Brown said. "Don't be part of the problem."

He also asked protesters to not be "inconsiderate" of officers' safety during planned or spontaneous protests.

Brown said the he and his family have received death threats immediately after the shooting and that the entire force was "concerned for our safety."

He said the department was trying to identify the source of a threat that was sent from a private Facebook page to the Dallas Police Department's Facebook page.

Brown said that Johnson had a "large stockpile" of bomb-making materials at his house. "He knew what he was doing. He wasn't some novice," Brown said, adding that he "may have learned all that online, I guess."

Addressing the department's error in misidentifying one of the protesters, who was carrying a rifle, as a "person of interest" in the shooting, Brown said it had become "increasingly challenging when people have an AR-15 rifle slung over their shoulder and shootings occur."

"We don't know who the good guy is and who the bad guy is," Brown said, adding that the police had expressed concerns about the state's open-carry laws to legislators.

— Tasneem Nashrulla

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Dallas Police Chief David Brown detailed the latest numbers after the shooting:

  • 5 officers were killed.
  • 9 officers were wounded as a result of gunfire or fragmentation of bullets.
  • Of the 9 officers, 4 were Dallas police officers, 3 were DART officers and 2 were officers from the Dallas County Community College Police Department.
  • 13 officers in total used force against the suspect.
  • Of the 13 officers, 11 officers used firearms and 2 officers used an explosive device against the suspect.
  • Detectives are reviewing over 300 statements, and more 170 hours of body cam videos. — Tasneem Nashrulla
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Here are the funeral services scheduled for three of the slain officers as per the Dallas Police Association:

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In an interview with The Blaze, Johnson’s family said that his time in the military changed him.

is mother, Delphine Johnson, said she could not think of a specific event that changed her son, but that after he was discharged from the military he turned from a happy, out-going person, to a "hermit."

"The military was not what Micah thought it would be," Delphine said. "He was very disappointed, very disappointed. But it may be that the ideal that he thought of our government, what he thought the military represented, it just didn't live up to his expectations."

Johnson was honorably discharged in 2015 after being accused of sexually harassing a female soldier in Afghanistan. Johnson served in Afghanistan for seven months, but did not witness combat.

Ema O'Connor

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Dallas shooting victim describes protecting her son, police heroism

The mother who was shot through the leg in Thursday's sniper attacks in Dallas described her sorrow over the shootings as well as her gratitude for the officers who protected her and her four sons.

Shetamia Taylor spoke to reporters on Sunday from a wheelchair as she prepared to return home from Baylor University Medical Center. Though her outlook is good, doctors expect it will be two months before her leg heals enough to stand on. In the Thursday shooting that left five dead and seven wounded, a bullet struck her in the calf, traveling through the bone before exiting her shin.

"If it was going to happen to one of my sons it was going to have to happen to me first," she said. "And it only happened to me, so I'm thankful for that."

— Claudia Koerner

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Black Lives Matter, other groups gather in protest

Small group of peaceful protesters here at Continental Bridge

DALLAS — Peaceful protests resumed in Dallas on Sunday, three days after the march that ended with police in a sniper's crosshairs.

Thursday's rally had widely been considered a success of community and police relations, until the attack of a single gunman left five officers dead. On Sunday, some Dallas protesters returned to the work of spreading their message.

View this video on YouTube

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To some in the community, the return to protests was too soon. Counter protesters gathered alongside supporters of Black Lives Matter Sunday at NorthPark Center.

The gathering ended with hugs between people of opposing views. At one point, Black Lives Matter supporters prayed with a police officer.

"We respect you, we appreciate you, we do," protest organizer Britny Morrison told him.

Early Sunday evening, a small group of protesters again gathered at the Continental Avenue walking bridge. They shared stories and spoke quietly. Some held signs that read "Black Lives Matter."

"I wanted to come be in the presence of other people who were concerned," said Cayce Smith, 31. "It's very healing."

About a half mile away, at the other end of the bridge, a heavy police presence was staging. Authorities warned residents to stay away from the area amidst fears of unrest, such as clashes between police and protesters in Baton Rouge.

By 7 p.m., the Dallas group had dispersed.

Dallas police on Twitter thanked all who spoke out for being respectful.

— Claudia Koerner and Ali Watkins

The demonstration is peaceful and @DallasPD is appreciative for everyone being respectful of each others right to free speach.

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Slain officer's mother visits police department

The mother of Patrick Zamarripa, who sent her son off for duty in Iraq multiple times, arrives at his precinct.

DALLAS — Valerie Zamarripa, mother of Patrick Zamarripa, one of the victims of Thursday's shootings here, arrived at the Southwest Division of the Dallas Police Department just after 2 p.m. local time on Sunday.

She exited the police in which she arrived car calmly, flanked by a family member on her left and then a female officer on her right. And then she cried. Covering her face, it had seemed as though she did not want to believe that the picture on the far right of the memorial, a blue candle lit beneath it, was her baby.

She approached the makeshift memorial silently, only crying. Another family member placed a large photo of him down on the ground, another candle in her left hand.

She was greeted by officers, one who hugged her tightly and said, "He was a good man — a great man.

Passing a sign that read, "Heroes — they were the minute that put on the blue" they went inside.

— Darren Sands

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President Obama, former President Bush to attend memorial service on Tuesday

President Obama will return from a European tour to visit Dallas on Tuesday, the White House has announced.

Press secretary Josh Earnest released the following statement on Sunday:

On Tuesday, July 12th, at the invitation of Mayor Rawlings, the President will travel to Dallas, Texas to deliver remarks at an interfaith memorial service at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. Further details about the President's visit to Dallas will be available in the coming days.

The White House released more details later on Sunday, including that former President George W. Bush would be in attendance at the memorial service and would deliver remarks. Vice President Joe Biden will also be there.

Obama is expected to meet privately with the families of the fallen police officers and those injured in the attack.

—David Mack

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Dallas police chief: Shooter left message written in blood

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The shooter who killed five Dallas police officers left a message written in his own blood and taunted negotiators prior to his death, the city's police chief said Sunday.

In an interview with CNN, Dallas Police Chief David Brown said police found the letters "RB'" written in blood on the walls of the El Centro community college where the gunman was killed.

"We're trying to figure out, through looking at things in his home, what those initials mean," he said. "But we haven't determined that yet."

The gunman, Micah Johnson, also taunted police and said he would only communicate with a black negotiator, Brown said.

"He just basically lied to us, playing games, laughing at us, singing, asking how many did he get and that he wanted to kill some more, and that there were bombs there so there was no progress on the negotiation," he said.

Brown said his officers then came up with the idea of using a bomb strapped to a robot to kill the gunman.

"I said use your creativeness to come up with a plan to do it," he told host Jake Tapper. "When I got back from the press conference they presented to me what was probably a 15-minute plan they put together to improvise our robot with a device to detonate behind the corner within a few feet of where he was that would take him out. And I approved it. And I'll do it again if presented with the same circumstances."

Brown said a search of Johnson's home and journal suggested he was planning a larger attack using bombs, but moved his plans forward after the deaths of black men at the hands of police in Louisiana and Minnesota last week.

"We're convinced that this suspect had other plans and thought that what he was doing was righteous and believed that he was going to make law enforcement and target law enforcement, make us pay for what he sees as law enforcement's efforts to punish people of color," Brown said.

"We believe that we saved lives by making this decision," he said.

The chief also said he believed the shooter's military training as part of the Army Reserve and his time deployed in Afghanistan helped make his attack so deadly.

"We don't normally see this type of moving and shooting from criminal suspects. We're convinced that the military style was a plan and that he had practiced this," he said.

Brown said the three people arrested after the shooting broke out — but turned out to be innocent — were detained because they were visibly armed and police initially viewed them as suspects.

"Someone is shooting at you from a perched position and people are running with AR-15s and camo gear, gas masks, bullet-proof vests, they're suspects until we eliminate that," he said.

Two of the suspects have been released without charge, but one was charged with the misdemeanor offense of carrying a prohibitive weapon, he said.

—David Mack

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This is how Dallas police are coping with the ambush

As wounded police officers arrived at two Dallas emergency rooms after Thursday's ambush attack, their colleagues were on hand to help to medical staff and families.

Detective Frederick Frazier, a vice president of the Dallas Police Association, ultimately saw each of the five slain officers. The final victim was Senior Cpl. Lorne Ahrens, a friend to several board members in the police union.

"Me and a couple other guys had to put him in the body bag, because the nurses just couldn't do it," Frazier told BuzzFeed News on Saturday, calling the attack "the darkest day in Dallas law enforcement history."

"It's a horrible thing to see, but in 21 years, it's not the first time I've lost officers," he said. "So we kind of just have to strap up our boots, and get it done."

Two days after the attack targeting police in downtown Dallas, many local law enforcement officers haven't had time to process the emotions of losing so many friends and brothers in arms.

Officers will likely replay memories of the chaos for the rest of their lives, one retired officer said.

Read more.

- Claudia Koerner

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What we know about those injured in the Dallas attack

Twelve officers were shot during the protest on Thursday. Five officers have died — four from the Dallas Police Department and one Dallas Area Rapid Transport (DART) officer. Two civilians were also wounded in the attack.

Among the injured was a civilian Shetamia Taylor who was shot as she protected her sons.

Read more about the injured victims here.

- Salvador Hernandez

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No suspect found after Dallas police search parking garage

Over last hour, reporters repeatedly pushed further back from compound. No clarity on what is happening in garage.

Nothing was found after Dallas Police officers systematically searched a nearby parking garage after getting reports of suspicious person there, officials said.

The search of the department garage came after police received an anonymous threat, prompting SWAT officers, armored vehicles and officers to respond to police headquarters.

Police pushed reporters back during the search, but despite news reports, Dallas police said their headquarters was not placed on lockdown.

Officers have completed manual search of the garage. No suspect found.

A spokeswoman for the department told BuzzFeed News the department took "precautionary measures" after receiving the anonymous threat.

It was unclear whether the search of the garage was related to the threat.

Dallas police said they would be doing a secondary search of the building with their K-9 teams as a precaution.

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Dallas Police search parking garage for suspicious person

The DPD garage. Police have asked all civilians to move to opposite side of street, reporters can stay put for now

Police have been searching a parking garage for a suspicious person, and said that reports about headquarters being placed on lockdown were incorrect.

"The Dallas Police Department received an anonymous threat against law enforcement across the city and has taken precautionary measures to heightened security," a spokesperson said. It's unclear if that threat was related to the search for the suspicious person.

SWAT officers and armored trucks moved into headquarters Saturday afternoon while police asked reporters in the area to move back. The loud noises that were being heard by reporters, officials explained, were to open areas of the garage as they searched for the suspect.

There has been media reports of shots fired at police HQ, there has been NO shots fired. SWAT set off a device to enter a locked fence.

Just two days after a dozen officers were ambushed by a sniper during a protest Thursday, killing five, the community seemed to still be on edge.

Police asked broadcasters to stop their live feeds from the station as officers continued their search of the garage.

At one point what some thought was a shot fired was actually a planter that broke:

Reporter here says they thought they heard a shot at Dallas police. Turns out it was a planter falling from an apartment.

Here's a photo of said planter:

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SWAT officers respond to Dallas Police headquarters

Heavily armed SWAT officers and an armored car were seen making their way to Dallas Police headquarters Saturday afternoon by media at the scene after a reported threat.

A BuzzFeed News reporter heard officers shouting and vehicles screeching as officers told reporters to get back.

Officers were taking off helmets, SWAT gear when shouts, screeching cars

Local media reported that the police headquarters were placed on lockdown after the department received a threat.

Multiple sources say Dallas SWAT deployed after a threat was made by a group from Houston that claims they are armed

Dallas Police officials have not released any details about the threat.

Despite some incorrect reports, a department spokesman told a local reporter that no shots had been fired.

Dpd spokesman Sgt. Warren Mitchell says shots were not fired. But high alert now because of serious threats

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$600,000 goes to slain Dallas officers’ loved ones, keeping one family in their home

DALLAS, Texas — A nonprofit organization established by the Dallas Police Department has accepted enough money to give each of the five slain officers' families $120,000.

In one family's case, the donation means they can afford to stay in their home.

The Assist the Officer Foundation is run entirely by volunteers, and has been providing financial assistance to families of slain and injured officers in North Texas since 1999.

Other outlets have raised money, too. Local TV station WFAA collected more than $225,000 on Friday alone, and donated it to the Assist the Officer Foundation.

Det. Frederick Frazier, the organization's chairman, told BuzzFeed News that there are additional ways the community can help out that don't require money.

"We know not everybody can donate money, not everyone can give food. But if you want to do something, even if you're not in Dallas, just tell your local officer if you see him…just go up to him and say we appreciate what you guys do," he said.

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Dallas officials push faith after ambush, and find a willing audience

DALLAS, Texas — Religion is a common response for a city mourning tragedy, but the response in Dallas to the police shootings on July 7 was particularly rooted in spiritual unity.

One of the organizers of Thursday night's protest, Rev. Jeff Hood, said Friday that he became a "shepherd" after the shooting, and used the cross he was carrying as a "staff" to guide people away from danger.

His statement was followed by a prayer service. In addition to speakers like Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, Senator Royce West, and Dallas Police Chief David Brown were pastors, a bishop, an imam, and a rabbi.

Friday night saw a gathering of 2,500 people at a Baptist church where several church leaders, black and white, spoke about faith, race, and in some cases, the longstanding racial divide in the city.

"How dare we expect these yet-to-be-United States of America to become one when every single Sunday the most segregated hour is when we gather to worship our great God?" asked Freddie Haynes of the Friendship West Baptist Church.

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Obama: the U.S. is not as divisive as some might think

Speaking from the NATO Summit in Warsaw, President Obama reflected on the "tough week" of police-involved shootings in the U.S., and argued that the country is not as divided as some might suggest.

"Americans of all races and all backgrounds are rightly outraged by the inexcusable attacks on police, whether it's in Dallas or any place else," he said. "That includes protestors. It includes family members who have grave concerns about police conduct, and they have said it's unacceptable. There's no division there."

Obama, who will visit Dallas upon his return to the U.S. to pay his condolences, added that Americans are also "rightly saddened and angered about the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, and about the larger persistent problem of African Americans and Latinos being treated differently in our criminal justice system."

The two reactions, he said, are not mutually exclusive.

Obama reminded everyone that the actions of one individual do not justify the categorization of an entire group.

"The demented individual who carried out those attacks in Dallas is no more representative of black Americans than the shooter in Charleston was representative of white Americans, or the shooter in Orlando or San Bernardino were representative of Muslim Americans," he said. "They don't speak for us. That's not who we are."

He also commended American citizens on their displays of empathy in light of the recent shootings, police for their continued professionalism, and activists "who have expressed concern about police shootings but are also adamant in their support of the Dallas Police Department."

"So when we start suggesting that somehow there's this enormous polarization and we're back to the situation in the 60s, that's just not true," he said.

Tamerra Griffin

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Beyoncé pays tribute to slain Dallas officers

Texas singer Beyoncé has paid tribute to the fallen officers in Dallas in an Instagram video.

She captioned the post: "Rest in peace to the officers whose lives were senselessly taken yesterday in Dallas. I am praying for a full recovery of the seven others injured. No violence will create peace. Every human life is valuable. We must be the solution. Every human being has the right to gather in peaceful protest without suffering more unnecessary violence. To effect change we must show love in the face of hate and peace in the face of violence."

After her Black Panthers-themed performance at this year's Super Bowl, Beyoncé was accused by some conservatives of spreading an anti-police message. However, she told Elle magazine in April she has "admiration and respect for officers and the families of officers who sacrifice themselves to keep us safe."

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Dallas shooter was accused of sexual harassment in the Army, lawyer says

Suspected Dallas shooter Micah Johnson was accused of sexually harassing a female solider while serving a tour of duty in Afghanistan, attorney Bradford Glendening told the Associated Press.

Glendening represented Johnson and said he was accused in May 2014. Johnson was sent back to the U.S., according to Glendening, with a recommendation that he receive something other than an honorable discharge.

He told the New York Times that the female soldier who accused Johnson of sexual harassment suggested he receive "mental help" and sought a protective order against him.

Johnson was going to be removed from the Army in September 2014, Glendening told the AP, but that didn't end up happening. Instead, he was honorably discharged in April 2015.

Glendening said he did not know why Johnson was ultimately given an honorable discharge.

"They didn't like him, that was very clear from talking to his commander," Glendening told the Times.

— Jim Dalrymple II

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Dallas skyline lights up blue for fallen officers

The Dallas skyline was lit blue Friday night in support for the five police officers killed in an ambush Thursday.

Twelve officers were shot during protests in downtown Thursday, in what has been the deadliest attack against police since the Sept. 11 attacks.

Downtown Dallas was shut down for hours Thursday night as police pinned down the gunman in a garage building.

On Friday, however, the most iconic buildings of the Dallas skyline turned blue, including Reunion Tower and the Bank of American building.

Coordinated effort to turn downtown blue this weekend to show support for the DPD and to show a united "ONE DALLAS" #omnidallas #onedallas

The Omni Hotel was also lit blue, along with the message, "One Dallas."

In downtown Fort Worth, some of the buildings were also outlined with blue lights in honor of the fallen officers.

Buildings in downtown Fort Worth light up in blue to honor the fallen officers in the #DallasPoliceShootings. @FOX4

Downtown Dallas is blue tonight #DallasPoliceShootings #DPD

Our town, our nation standing together honoring our fallen heros. #dallasstrong

We can go dim, or we can shine. I choose the light. -The Ball #OneDallas #OneNation

— Sal Hernandez

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Public Enemy member blasts Dallas police for being named in shooting investigation

Public Enemy's Richard Griffin angrily took to Twitter Friday after Dallas police listed him in a new update on the investigation into man who shot dead five officers.

The Dallas Police Department took the unusual step of listing details from shooter Micah Johnson's Facebook profile, without additional context, that included Griffin and biographical information seemingly cribbed from Wikipedia.

He wasn't happy.

"I will not sit back and let these people assassinate my character and tie me to the Dallas shootings," Griffin wrote on Twitter.

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Black Lives Matter movement leaders worry Dallas will hurt their cause

ST. PAUL, Minnesota — The Dallas shooting that left five police officers dead has rocked the Black Lives Matter movement, with many key activists expressing shock at the news, and concern that it will distract from the cause.

"This is a tragedy — both for those who have been impacted by yesterday's attack and for our democracy," the BLM organization, a network representing 26 chapters around the country said in a statement posted to its website. "There are some who would use these events to stifle a movement for change and quicken the demise of a vibrant discourse on the human rights of Black Americans. We should reject all of this."

Worry over the movement's legitimacy and standing in the national conversation was palpable in interviews with BuzzFeed News.

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President Obama cuts European trip short, will visit Dallas in wake of shooting

President Obama will cut his NATO summit trip short and travel to Dallas next week in a show of support after five officers were shot dead in the city Thursday night, the White House announced.

In Warsaw, Poland, to meet with NATO leaders, Obama will return one day earlier after visiting his counterpart in Spain and the Rota Naval Station, but cancel plans for Seville.

The White House accepted an invitation from Mayor Mike Rawlings to the visit Dallas, and will work "to bring people together to support our police officers and communities, and find common ground by discussing policy ideas for addressing the persistent racial disparities in our criminal justice system," the White House said in a statement.

—Jason Wells

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Texas governor says all officers injured in Dallas shooting released from hospital

Seven officers who were wounded by a sniper in Dallas Thursday night have been released from the hospital, Gov. Greg Abbott told CNN Friday afternoon.

Twelve officers were shot what authorities now call a lone-gunman who moved into different positions, targeting officers during a protest in downtown.

Five of those officers were killed.

Abbott said all of the other seven officers were released by Friday afternoon.

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Authorities say there's little they can do to prevent ambush attacks

Ambush shootings of police officers in Georgia, Tennessee, and Missouri on Friday struck a nerve with a law enforcement community still grappling with the attack that killed five officers in Dallas just 24 hours earlier.

Although authorities in only one of the states suggested there was a link, the shootings come at a time of heightened tension among police departments across the U.S. as officers and union leaders express concern that the outrage over recent police killings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota will spark a wave of violence against those in uniform.

Black Lives Matter leaders, meanwhile, have condemned the attacks against police.

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The Dallas shooter had written manifestos about how to "shoot and move," the city's mayor said Friday.

The 25-year-old who shot and killed five officers had written manifestos and planned to move as he aimed a sniper rifle at Dallas officers, Mayor Mike Rawlings said at a news conference Friday.

"There was confusion with everybody moving around, but this was a mobile shooter who had written manifestos about how to shoot and move, shoot and move," Rawlings said. "The suspect is dead, and we can move on to healing."

Rawlings also explained that police used C-4 explosives to kill Micah Johnson after he refused to surrender.

"He had a choice to come out and we would not harm, or he could stay and we would," Rawlings said. "He picked the latter."

Gov. Greg Abbott also stressed the need for the state to unite and heal, now that the city has been deemed safe.

Investigators were still working on the possibility of co-conspirators, such as people who might have been aware of Johnson's plan, but it was time for the city to heal, he added.

"We stand behind the people of this city, of this state, and the law enforcement officials here," Abbott said. "Texas is a tough state, but just like we have overcome so many challenges in the past we will overcome this challenge."

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Police on Friday reported finding bomb-making materials, rifles, and ammunition at the Dallas shooter's home.

Dallas police on Friday officially identified Micah Johnson as the shooter responsible for killing five officers on Thursday, describing him as a loner who kept a personal journal of combat tactics.

At the 25-year-old's suburban home, detectives found bomb-making materials, ballistic vests, rifles, and ammunition.

Investigators are in the process of analyzing the contents of the journal.

Johnson, an Army veteran, also maintained a presence on Facebook, police said.

The Department of Homeland Security on Friday confirmed that Johnson was the lone shooter and had no known links to any international terrorist organization.

In addition to the five killed, Johnson shot and wounded seven other officers, who remained hospitalized Friday.

It appeared at least 12 officers discharged their weapons in response to the attack, which ended with a standoff and Johnson's death, Dallas police reported.

—Jason Wells

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In television interviews on Friday, Hillary Clinton said that as president she would go after "systemic racism" and "implicit bias."

Hillary Clinton on #DallasPoliceShootings: "This is an absolutely horrific event" https://t.co/UYpqI3w42L https://t.co/SADY1sfi3P

"We've got to do a lot more to bring the police together with the communities that they protect," Clinton said in an interview with CNN.

She added that the U.S. needs to "go after systemic racism which is a reality and to go after implicit bias."

In a separate interview on MSNBC, Clinton reiterated her call to recognize implicit bias, which she said people unfortunately still have.

Clinton said if action isn't taken soon, the country could find itself in a "worse downward spiral."

"I think everyone understands that we have some very deep divides in our country, and if we don't start addressing them, and that's a matter of urgency, and it's not just for some people to do it, but it's for all of us to do it, then I believe we'll find ourselves in an even worse downward spiral.

"I believe we need a national conversation, and we start showing respect toward one another."

—Kyle Blaine

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Police union officials across the country have proposed a range of tactical measures to try to better protect officers from attacks similar to the one in Dallas on Thursday night.

Joe Gamaldi, second vice-president of the Houston Police Union, said that his union was proposing that officers keep heavy vests that can withstand rifle fire in the trunk of their cars in the event of an active shooters.

Ed Mullins, president of Sergeants Benevolent Association in New York City, told the New York Daily Daily News that he planned to ask Police Commissioner Bill Bratton to put an assault rifle and a bullet-proof shied in each sergeant's patrol car.

Daniel J. Hils, president of the Cincinnati police union, told the Cincinnati Enquirer that officers were requesting that they only patrol with a partner, a policy many departments across the country are implementing.

In Houston, Tampa, and other cities, departments are also ordering officers to call for back-up before responding to any calls.

Departments in Oakland, Baltimore, St.Louis, and Philadelphia told BuzzFeed News that they were not implementing any specific policy change in what equipment and uniform officers wore while working protests.

Tampa Police Union president Vincent Gericitano said that, despite the shooting in Dallas, he did not think officers should be forced to wear added protective gear while covering protests.

"It would be restrictive," he said. "We handle peaceful protests all the time in police departments across the nation. There's really nothing that a department can do to try to prevent a tragedy like this. Unfortunately when you have a sniper or an assassination attempt, it's hard to prevent."

—Albert Samaha

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President Obama called the attorney general and Dallas police chief on Friday for an update into the shooting investigation.

President Obama was briefed over the phone by Dallas Police Chief David Brown and Attorney General Loretta Lynch on the latest in the investigation into the shooting that killed five officers Thursday, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said.

Obama, in Warsaw, Poland, for a NATO summit, also offered the police chief his condolences on behalf of the U.S.

—Jason Wells

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People reacted with sadness and anger on social media in the wake of the Dallas attack.

Reaction on social media to the Dallas shooting was a mix of shock, sadness, and calls for action Friday.

House Speaker on Twitter there is "no cause or context in which this violence— this kind of terror — is justified. None at all." The Daily Show host Trevor Noah, meanwhile, tweeted that "you can be pro-cop and pro-black, which is what we should all be."

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Officials said Friday they now believe the Dallas shooting was carried out by a lone gunman.

Officials on Friday said the gunman behind the Dallas shooting attack appeared to be working alone instead of with a partner, as had been assumed earlier, multiple media outlets reported.

Police had thought Micah Johnson, an Army veteran who was killed by a remote-controlled bomb after a standoff police, carried out the attack with a partner, shooting officers from elevated positions, killing five of them.

Three people were detained for questioning in the aftermath of the shooting; however, a senior official familiar with the investigation told the New York Times and other outlets that it appeared he acted alone.

—Jason Wells

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Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Friday blamed Black Lives Matter for the Dallas shootings and called fleeing protesters hypocrites.

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick blamed Black Lives Matter for endangering the lives of police officers with their rhetoric and called Dallas protesters hypocrites for running from the hail of bullets Thursday night.

"All those protesters last night, they ran the other way expecting the men and women in blue to protect them — what hypocrites," Patrick told Fox News Friday morning. "Too many in the general public who aren't criminals but have a big mouth are creating situations like we saw last night."

People who call police racists, hateful, and killers in public and social media contributed to Thursday's attack, which left at least five officers dead, he added.

"I do blame people on social media with their hatred towards police," Patrick said. "I do blame former Black Lives Matter protests."

The focus now should be on the five dead police officers who left families behind, Patrick said.

Republican State Rep. Bill Zedler also blamed Black Lives Matter.

Clearly the rhetoric of Black Lives Matters encouraged the sniper that shot Dallas police officers

Republican U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert said President Obama has been divisive on police and race issues. Speaking to Fox Business, Gohmert also mentioned Black Lives Matter as contributing to the strain between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

"He always comes out against the cops, but then he would usually be wrong," Gohmert said. "This administration has supported Black Lives Matter, as even their leaders have called out for killing cops."

Black Lives Matter leaders, however, have condemned the attack and said it is a time for the nation to stand together.

—Adolfo Flores

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The Republican National Committee called the Dallas police shootings "disturbing and cold blooded."

Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus said Friday that it was "devastating to see those who wake up every day to protect us senselessly gunned down in the line of duty."

He also commented on the recent police-involved killings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota.

"Our hearts break for the families of these slain officers as well as the families of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, and our thoughts and prayers are with them as they try and put their lives back together," he said. "All life is precious and it grieves us to see it lost in the many ways it has been this week."

Priebus commended law enforcement officers for serving their communities and continuing to put their lives on the line, adding that the "sacrifices they make to maintain law and order allows us to enjoy the freedoms we are so privileged to have in this country."

Read the full statement here.

Tamerra Griffin

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Dallas police chief called the shootings an "evil tragedy" at a prayer vigil.

Speaking at an interfaith prayer vigil Friday, Dallas Police Chief David Brown called the shootings that killed five officers "a well planned, well thought-out, evil tragedy."

Authorities, he added, would not rest until "we bring everyone involved to justice."

Three suspects were in custody after a fourth, who had been cornered by officers on the second floor of a parking garage, was killed overnight by a robotic bomb.

The suspect, identified in multiple media reports as Micah Xavier Johnson, told negotiators that he was upset with the recent killings of black people by the police.

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings acknowledged rising racial tensions across the U.S. that had led to sometimes deadly violence, saying "they continue to divide us."

"This is on my generation of leaders," he said. "It is on our watch that we have allowed this to continue to fester."

The public, Rawlings added, should not let the shootings serve as a bookmark for a new norm, but instead a wake-up call for the need for change.

"We must have hope that tomorrow will be better, and it will," he said.

—Jason Wells

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The Dallas shooting suspect was deployed to Afghanistan as a soldier.

Micah Xavier Johnson, whom multiple media outlets, citing law enforcement officials, identified as the slain Dallas shooting suspect, was a member of the Army Reserve and served a tour in Afghanistan.

In a statement to BuzzFeed News, the Army confirmed Johnson, from Mesquite, Texas, served between March 2009 and April 2015.

Between November 2013 and July 2014, he was deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom with the 420th Engineer Brigade.

Johnson was a carpentry and masonry specialist who had achieved the rank of private first class (E3).

Among the medals he was awarded were the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

—David Mack

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WARNING, GRAPHIC FOOTAGE: Amateur video provided to the Associated Press shows a gun battle between one officer and the shooter.

View this video on YouTube

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In the video, a man with a long weapon can be seen hiding behind outdoor columns.

After a shot is fired, the camera veers away from the scene.

When it returns to focus, an officer dressed in black is seen behind a column while the shooter is behind a separate column.

The shooter then approaches the police officer from the rear and is able to fire multiple shots, downing the officer.

—David Mack

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A protest organizer told reporters that activists "cannot bring about justice through violence."

Rev. Jeff Hood, one of the organizers of last night's protest in Dallas, told reporters on Friday morning that he was "devastated" by the loss of life at the event.

"Never in our wildest dreams would we have imagined that five police officers would be dead this morning," he said.

"We left that rally in a nonviolent fashion. That rally was nonviolent. There was never a moment where I felt like there was even a hint of violence," he said.

Hood said he had even talked with police prior to the shooting about how successful and calm the protest had been.

But he and other activists fled when they heard shots ring out.

"Immediately when I heard the shots I looked up and I saw what I believe were two police officers that went down," he said. "I didn't know what to do."

He said Dallas was a "city of love" and was mourning the slain officers.

"We cannot bring about justice through violence," he told his fellow activists in denouncing the murders. "We cannot bring about love through violence. If we continue to turn to violence we are going to continue to see heartache and devastation."

—David Mack

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American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations president comments on Dallas shootings.

Violence is never the answer to violence. We reject the idea that anyone can justify anger by murdering police officers or civilians #Dallas

We mourn the loss of the officers who were shot in the line of duty in Dallas, protecting the right to protest peacefully. Our hearts go out to the victims' families, the city of Dallas, and the nation.

Violence is never the answer to violence, and two wrongs never make a right. As a nation and as people, we are defined by our values. We are better than this. We categorically reject the idea that anyone can justify anger by murdering police officers or civilians.

It is not enough to want to be better; we have to get better – as human beings, as communities, as a nation. This senseless killing must stop, and we all have to find a way to make it stop.

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Attorney General Loretta Lynch told reporters "this has been a week of profound grief and heartbreaking loss."

Here is her full statement to reporters on Friday morning in Washington, D.C.:

Good morning, and thank you all for being here.

Last night, at least five police officers were shot and killed, and several more were injured – along with two civilians – as they sought to protect a peaceful protest in Dallas, Texas. Our thoughts and condolences go out to the families who have lost loved ones. The Department of Justice – including the FBI, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service and U.S. Attorney's Office – is working closely with our state and local counterparts, and we intend to provide any assistance we can to investigate this attack, and to heal a community that has been severely shaken and deeply scarred by an unfathomable tragedy. This is an unfolding situation and we will provide additional information when it is available and appropriate.

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.

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.

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.

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Congressional Black Caucus urges increased gun control law in light of Dallas shooting.

The Congressional Black Caucus on Friday spoke about the need for Republicans to engage in debates on how to quell gun violence in light of the Dallas shooting, as well as the two police-involved killings of black men earlier this week.

"We are continuing our fight to remove guns from the hands of would-be terrorists and criminals and require background checks for those seeking to purchase firearms," said G.K. Butterfield, who represents North Carolina.

"Republicans, why aren't you giving us a debate on gun violence?" he asked.

Butterfield added that on July 7, several Black Caucus members met with demonstrators outside the White House and spoke with them about the recent killings. He said one woman held a sign that read, "Last night, I wept more than I slept."

"If we fail to act," Butterfield said, "this will be a long, hot summer."

—Tamerra Griffin

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Multiple media outlets have now identified the slain suspect as Micah Johnson.

The 25-year-old has ties to the Texan city of Mesquite, multiple officials told media.

He reportedly has no criminal history.

A Pentagon source told CNN that Johnson had served in the U.S. Army Reserve.

A Twitter account created in May that belongs to someone with the name "Micah Johnson" follows just six accounts, including two with ties to Dallas police. Other accounts followed by the user include the New Black Panther Party and Black Lives Matter.

—David Mack

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National Rifle Association CEO releases statement on Dallas shooting.

NRA Executive Vice President and CEO Wayne LaPierre made the following statement about the attack in downtown Dallas:

On behalf of the more than five million members of the National Rifle Association, and especially on behalf of our members from the law enforcement community, I want to express the deep anguish all of us feel for the heroic Dallas law enforcement officers who were killed and wounded, as well as to those who so bravely ran toward danger to defend the city and the people of Dallas.

With heavy hearts, NRA members honor their heroism and offer our deepest condolences to all of their families.

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A "person of interest" sought in the Dallas attack was not the shooter.

Police circulated a photo of a man carrying a rifle during the protest, but witnesses said he was not involved in the attack. He was later taken into custody and released.

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Trump describes the Dallas shootings as "an attack on our country."

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Here's how Dallas built a model police force.

The Dallas shootings have shined a tragic light on a police department that has seen decreases in excessive-force complaints, arrests, and officer-involved shootings.

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings told reporters Friday he wished to "brag" about the progress his police department has made.

"We are working hard to improve and there's always room for improvement, but we are best in class, we feel," Rawlings said.

In this article, BuzzFeed News reporter Albert Samaha looks at the remarkable progress the city's police department has made in recent years.

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Quinyetta McMillon, the mother of Alton Sterling's 15-year-old son, condemns deadly violence against police officers in Dallas.

Here's the full statement released by McMillon's attorneys L. Chris Stewart and Justin Bamberg:

We wholeheartedly reject the reprehensible acts of violence that were perpetrated against members of the Dallas Police Department.

Our hearts break for the families of the officers who were lost as they protected protesters and residents alike during a rally.

Regardless of how angry or upset people may be, resorting to this kind of sickening violence should never happen and simply cannot be tolerated.

Members of law enforcement have a very difficult job and the vast majority conduct themselves honorably as they protect and serve our communities.

We maintain that officers who violate the public trust and their training should be held accountable through our country's justice system.

Responding to violence with violence is not the answer.

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Dallas police chief says the suspect told law enforcement he was upset about recent police shootings and wanted to kill white people, especially white officers.

Dallas Police Chief David Brown said during a press conference Friday that one of the suspects in the attack, who was eventually killed after an explosive was detonated using a bomb robot, told officers and negotiators during an hours-long standoff that he was upset with the recent killings of black people by the police.

"The suspect said he was upset about Black Lives Matter," Brown said. "He was upset about the recent shootings. The suspect said he was upset at white people. The suspect stated he wanted to kill white people, especially white officers."

He added that the suspect, who was cornered at El Centro College in downtown Dallas, acted alone and was not affiliated with any group, and that there were "other things that are part of this investigation."

"We can't get into the head of a person that would do something like this," Brown said, adding that the suspect seemed lucid throughout the negotiation but kept reiterating that he wanted to kill white people and white officers and was angry with the Black Lives Matter movement.

"None of this makes sense. None of that is a legitimate reason to do harm," he said.

Chief Brown commended the bravery of the Dallas police officers who, he said, were "running toward gunfire from an elevated position with no chance to protect themselves."

"We don't feel much support most days," he added. "Let's not make today most days."

—Tamerra Griffin

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Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have responded to the Dallas shootings.

Email just in from Team @HillaryClinton postponing scheduled rally with @VP Biden due to the Dallas shootings

Hillary Clinton has postponed a scheduled rally with Vice President Joe Biden in Pennsylvania. Her press team cited the "tragic events in Dallas" as the reason for the decision.

I mourn for the officers shot while doing their sacred duty to protect peaceful protesters, for their families & all who serve with them. -H

Donald Trump has extended his "prayers and condolences" to the families. His campaign also canceled a scheduled trip to Miami.

Prayers and condolences to all of the families who are so thoroughly devastated by the horrors we are all watching take place in our country

—David Mack

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A video captured police exchanging gunfire with a suspect inside a Dallas building.

Facebook: video.php

Patrick Cooper, a security guard at the El Centro community college in downtown Dallas, filmed police storming the building's lobby.

Shots and screams echo throughout the room as officers cautiously clear the room.

"I'm in the bathroom at [El Centro] college and this is fucking crazy. They have gun shots everywhere," Cooper wrote on Facebook.

Cooper told CNN in an interview Friday morning that he witnessed a suspect carrying a "long weapon" enter the building before police followed.

"I was petrified. I didn't know what to do," Cooper said. "The gunshots were all around me and I'm thinking they're firecrackers or something else and when I come out to look I see the suspect, somebody, just running towards where I'm at."

"The person was carrying a long weapon," he said. "I don't know if it was a shotgun or a rifle… It wasn't no pistol."

— David Mack

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Obama: Dallas shooting was a "vicious, calculated, and despicable attack"

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Speaking at a NATO press conference in Warsaw, Poland, on Friday, President Obama described the fatal shooting of five Dallas police officers as a "vicious, calculated, and despicable attack on law enforcement."

Speaking alongside European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Obama extended his condolences on behalf of the American people to the people of Dallas.

Here are the president's full remarks on the Dallas shootings:

Good morning, everybody. Let me begin by thanking Presidents Tusk and Juncker for the opportunity to meet today. With your understanding, I want to begin with a few words about the situation back in the United States, specifically the situation in Dallas, Texas. My team has been keeping me updated throughout the morning of the evening in Dallas. I spoke this morning with Mayor Rawlings of Dallas to convey the deepest condolences of the American people. I told him that the federal government will provide whatever assistance Dallas may need as it deals with this tremendous tragedy. We still don't know all the facts. What we do know is that there has been a vicious, calculated and despicable attack on law enforcement. 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. As I told Mayor Rawlings, I believe that I speak for every single American when I say that we are horrified over these events, and that we stand united with the people and the police department in Dallas. According to police, there are multiple suspects. We will learn more, undoubtedly, about their twisted motivations. But let's be clear: There is no possible justification for these kinds of attacks or any violence against law enforcement. The FBI is already in touch with the Dallas police, and anyone involved in these senseless murders will be held fully accountable. Justice will be done. I will have more to say about this as the facts become more clear. For now, let me just say that even as yesterday I spoke about our need to be concerned, as all Americans, about racial disparities in our criminal justice system, I also said yesterday that our police have an extraordinarily difficult job and the vast majority of them do their job in outstanding fashion. I also indicated the degree to which we need to be supportive of those officers who do their job each and every day, protecting us and protecting our communities. Today is a wrenching reminder of the sacrifices that they make for us. We also know that when people are armed with powerful weapons, unfortunately it makes attacks like these more deadly and more tragic. And in the days ahead, we're going to have to consider those realities as well. In the meantime, today our focus is on the victims and their families. They are heartbroken. The entire city of Dallas is grieving. Police across America, which is a tight-knit family, feels this loss to their core. And we're grieving with them. I'd ask all Americans to say a prayer for these officers and their families. Keep them in your thoughts. And as a nation, let's remember to express our profound gratitude to our men and women in blue -- not just today, but every day.

— David Mack

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The fourth suspect, who was involved in a standoff with police, has died, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings confirmed.

BREAKING: Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings says the suspect in a standoff with police has died.

"We were able to take out one of the suspects who was cornered in a garage with an explosive device," Rawlings said on CNN.

Officers used explosives to "blast him out," Rawlings told AP, noting that it is not yet clear how the suspect died.

Three suspects are in custody, including a female described as being a "light-skinned African-American."

According to Rawlings, the suspects have been "tight-lipped" so far. When asked by the Today show what the motivation of the attack was, Rawlings said, "It's simple, they wanted to kill police officers and sadly they did."

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Five police officers were killed and another seven were wounded in sniper fire during a protest in Dallas on Thursday night.

As of Friday morning, three suspects were in custody and another suspect was dead after a standoff with police. One suspect claimed to have planted explosives throughout the city but nothing was found during sweeps of those locations.

Dallas Police Chief David Brown said the suspect had exchanged gunfire with the police and "told our negotiators that the end is coming, and he's going to hurt and kill more of us, meaning law enforcement."

The other three suspects included a woman who had been in the garage and two men who were seen throwing a duffel bag into a Mercedes before speeding away from the area, Brown told reporters.

"We are being very careful in our tactics so we don't put any of our officers in harm, as well as the citizens of Dallas," Brown said.

In a press conference Friday morning, President Obama called the sniper attacks as "vicious, calculated, and despicable."

Check here for a complete report on what happened.

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