DALLAS
— Four officers have been killed and at least seven more injured in a
hail of gunfire during a demonstration organized to protest this week’s
police-involved shootings in Minnesota and Louisiana, Dallas police
confirm.
Police
Chief David Brown said at least two snipers ambushed law enforcement
from an elevated position, striking 10 officers and a civilian.
SWAT
officers continued to exchange gunfire early Friday with a suspect who
was holed up in a downtown parking garage. The assailant, the chief
said, is being very uncooperative.
“He
has told our negotiators that the end is coming and he’s going to hurt
and kill more of us — and that there are bombs all over the place in
this garage and in downtown,” Brown said.The chief said a woman and two
men are in custody and being questioned for their possible involvement
in the attack.
“We still don’t have a complete comfort level that we have all the suspects,” Brown said during a 12:30 a.m. news conference.
“We still don’t have a complete comfort level that we have all the suspects,” Brown said during a 12:30 a.m. news conference.
Earlier
in the evening, police published a photo of a gun-toting man on social
media. They later said the man had turned himself in, but it remained
unclear early Friday if he has any connection to the rampage.
Friends
and family told reporters that the man in the photos is Mark Hughes.
Despite carrying an assault-style rifle during the march (which is legal
in Texas), the man’s relatives were adamant that he was not involved in
the shooting.
Bystanders
reported hearing dozens of shots fired near City Hall about 9 p.m.
local time. The gunfire terrified hundreds of demonstrators, sending
them running for cover.
Some witnesses said the shooter or shooters ambushed officers from a multi-story parking garage.
“The
cops had no idea who was shooting at them,” Jamal Johnson told KTVT-TV
in Dallas. “Everyone knew it wasn’t a firework — it was an actual shot.”
The
shooting broke out just hours after President Obama — reacting to the
shootings deaths of black men in Minnesota and Louisiana this week — posted an emphatic message on Facebook calling upon all Americans to confront persistent racial disparities between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
“To
admit we’ve got a serious problem in no way contradicts our respect and
appreciation for the vast majority of police officers who put their
lives on the line to protect us every single day,” he wrote. “It is to
say that, as a nation, we can and must do better to institute the best
practices that reduce the appearance or reality of racial bias in law
enforcement.”
Downtown residents described the chaos on social media.
“I
THINK A SHOOTOUT IS HAPPENING DOWNSTAIRS OH MY GOD,” a Twitter user
named Allison posted moments before capturing rapid gunfire on video.
“They’re
shooting right now and there’s an officer down,” Michael Bautista says
during this Facebook live stream video. Rapid gunfire can be heard in
the background.
The causality count as of 11:30 p.m. local time:
3 — Dallas police officers deceased
1 — Dallas Area Rapid Transit officer deceased
8 — officers wounded
1 — civilian wounded
1 — Dallas Area Rapid Transit officer deceased
8 — officers wounded
1 — civilian wounded
This is believed to be the deadliest day in Dallas Police Department history, a law enforcement source tells Yahoo News.
Police
were requesting that all citizens clear downtown streets in the
aftermath of the shooting, but some citizens continued to confront
officers on city streets. The Omni hotel
(This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.)