Four snipers shoot 11 police officers in Dallas - killing at least FIVE - during furious nationwide protests over US police shootings of two black men: One gunman kills himself after siege with cops
- Four gunmen have shot 11 police officers - killing five - and may have planted bombs 'all over' downtown Dallas
- Gunfire broke out as protesters marched across America against the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile
- Snipers fired from 'elevated positions', picking off officers 'ambush style' during the protest over police brutality
- Gruesome footage shows a cop being shot execution-style by one of the gunmen as they rampaged through city
- Three shooters are in custody and the fourth has reportedly shot himself after warning 'the end is coming'
- Officers found a suspicious package near where one of the gunmen was caught and a bomb squad are on the scene
- Two people are being questioned after being caught speeding away from the scene in a black Mercedes
- Police released a picture of a man carrying what appears to be an assault rifle and he has turned himself in
- Mark Hughes has now been released from custody and said in an interview 'I could easily have been shot'
- Horrifying footage shows protesters chanting 'hands up, don't shoot' before suddenly scattering as shots are fired
Four gunmen have shot 11 police officers - killing at least five - in a Black Lives Matter protest in downtown Dallas described by President Obama as a 'vicious, calculated and despicable attack on law enforcement'.
One of the police officers killed in the attack has been identified as 43-year-old Dart Officer Brent Thompson.
The shooters opened fire from 'elevated positions' in a coordinated attack, picking off officers 'ambush style' as they manned a protest over the deaths of two black men - Philando Castile in Minnesota and Alton Sterling in Louisiana, police chief David Brown said.
Three of the gunmen are in custody. A fourth man, who was engaged in a shootout with police from a parking garage at El Centro College, has reportedly killed himself with a shot to the head, Fox 4 TV Dallas reports. The gunman told officers bombs have been planted across Dallas and that 'the end is coming'.
‘We have in custody a female who was in the same area as the El Centro garage,' Brown said.
Before the fourth suspect was 'neutralized', Brown said he told negotiators 'the end is coming, and he is going to hurt and kill more of us and that there are bombs all over the place in the garage and downtown'.
‘We still don’t have complete comfort level that we have all the suspects,’ Brown said.
Officers found a suspicious package near where one of the gunmen was caught and a bomb squad are dealing with it.
A gruesome video shows a heroic policeman taking on one of the gunmen, but being gunned down by the shooter before being shot again execution-style, from point-blank range.
Police said two people are being questioned after they were spotted speeding away from the scene of the shooting in a black Mercedes. An officer saw one of the pair hurriedly putting a camouflage bag in the back of the car before driving off 'at a high rate of speed'.
President Barack Obama condemned it as a ‘vicious, calculated and despicable attack on law enforcement’ in a statement made from Warsaw, Poland.
He warned we still don’t know all the facts and expressed his ‘deepest condolences to the American people’.
‘They were on duty doing their jobs, keeping people safe during peaceful protests... They were targeted and nearly a dozen officers were shot,’ President Obama said.
‘I believe I speak for every American, when I say we are horrified and stand united with the police department in Dallas,’ he added.
President Obama confirmed the FBI is working with Dallas police and said ‘anyone involved will be made accountable… justice will be done.’
He urged the nation to remember to ‘express our profound gratitude for our men and women in blue’.
The shootings have sparked more racial tension in America and mark the deadliest day for US law enforcement since the 9/11 attacks, when 72 officers died in the line of duty. Americans in major cities nationwide took to the streets on Thursday night to demand answers over the killings of two black men - Philando Castile in Minnesota and Alton Sterling in Louisiana - in two days. The Black Lives Matter protests demanded an end to shootings by police but the Dallas march has tragically ended with the loss of five officers.
Two snipers have shot 11 police officers - killing at least five - and may have planted a bomb in downtown Dallas. A gruesome video shows a heroic policeman taking on one of gunmen, but being gunned down by the shooter
The officer is seen ducking behind a pillar but being shot by the gunman, who then stands over the cop and pumps another bullet into him
The 'coordinated' shooters opened fire from 'elevated positions', picking off officers 'ambush style'. Pictured, a police officer lies stricken next to cop cars
It is the deadliest day for US law enforcement since the 9/11 attacks. Officers have shown respect to their slain colleagues with a salute outside Parkland Hospital
President Barack Obama called it ‘vicious, calculated and despicable attack on law enforcement’ in a statement made from Warsaw, Poland
The two snipers opened fire from 'elevated positions', picking off officers as they manned the demonstration in downtown Dallas on Thursday evening, police chief David Brown said.
Tragic: Five cops have died, and three were earlier in a critical condition. Pictured an officer attends to an injured person
The shooting started at 8.45pm as hundreds of protesters marched through Dallas demanding justice for two black men shot dead by police earlier this week
Dallas Police officers shield bystanders after shots were fired in the middle of what had been a peaceful rally in the Texas city
A police officer runs for cover after shots were fired during a protest over the deaths of two black men in Louisiana and Minnesota
Live TV coverage of the protesters marching along a street in downtown Dallas suddenly showed the crowd scattering as they sought cover after the shots were fired
High alert: Dallas Police officers were also seen stopping a motorist at gunpoint from leaving downtown Dallas in a white SUV
A man, named as Mark Hughes, who was pictured walking through Dallas with what appeared to be an assault rifle, has been released from custody after he turned himself into police when cops made a public appeal and his family said he was an innocent bystander.
Mr Hughes said he was released from police custody after a 30 minute interrogation. The shocked ‘bystander’ told KTVT: 'I can't believe it. The crazy thing about it was I was down here, I couldn't get to my vehicle because of the roadblock and at hindsight 20/20 I could easily have been shot.’
Mr Hughes was unaware that his face was being plastered over the internet as a suspect in the shooting.
'I didn't know. We received a phone call that my face was on there as a suspect and immediately I flagged down a police officer,’ Mr Hughes said.
'I was talking to police laughing and joking with police officers,’ he added.
During his 30 minute interrogation Mr Hughes claimed officers ‘lied’ and said the had video of him shooting and that they had witnesses ‘saying I shot a gun’.
‘At the end of the day the system was trying to get me,’ he claimed.
Mr Hughes said he has not yet received an apology. His attorneys said he has received thousands of death threats.
'Now you have my face on national news are you going to come out and say this young man had nothing to do with it?,’ he asked
'We've been getting death threats. All I know is there was nothing just going on and there was a persecution on me unrightly and they need to do something about it.’
Five police officers have died and as many as three others are in a critical condition. A female member of the public was also shot.
The DART officer killed, Brent Thompson, joined the department in 2009 and is the first officer to be killed in the line of duty since 1989 when DART formed a police department.
Morgan Lyons, a spokesman for DART, said: 'As you can imagine, our hearts are broken.'
Mark Hughes was shown as a shooting suspect by police. He had no idea an image of him had been released on social media as he was walking in downtown Dallas. 'We received a phone call that my face was on [the internet] as a suspect and immediately I flagged down a police officer,’ Mr Hughes said told KTVT
Pictured is a man named as Mark Hughes, who was pictured walking through Dallas with what appeared to be an assault rifle. He turned himself into police after cops made a public appeal and has now been released from custody
Dallas Police released an image of Hughes and tweeted: 'Please help us find him!'. Mr Hughes, an innocent bystander, has now said in an interview 'I can't believe it. The crazy thing about it was I was down here... I could easily have been shots
'This is something that touches every part of our organization. We have received countless expressions of support and sympathy from around the world through the evening. We are grateful for every message. Thank you.'
It is not known if the shooters were protesters, however they appear to have been militarily trained. Their motive is not clear.
'Our worst nightmare has happened,' Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said. 'It is a heartbreaking moment for the city of Dallas.'
The shooting started at 8.45pm as hundreds of protesters marched through Dallas demanding justice for two black men shot dead by police earlier this week.
Horrifying footage shows peaceful protesters chanting 'hands up, don't shoot' before suddenly scattering as shots were fired near Belo Garden Park.
Another video captures semi-automatic gunfire ringing out, with dozens of shots heard as people scream and run for cover.
One of the alleged shooters - wearing tactical gear and a bulletproof vest - was hunkered down in a garage earlier on Thursday evening and engaged cops in a shootout before he was detained, a police source told Fox 4.
A horrific video taken on a cell phone by a terrified Dallas resident shows a heroic policeman trying to shoot one of the gunmen.
The officer is seen ducking behind a pillar but being shot by the gunman, who then stands over the cop and pumps another bullet into him.
Police Chief Brown said that it appeared the shooters 'planned to injure and kill as many officers as they could'
One of the injured police officers has been named as Misty McBride. She was reportedly shot in the shoulder but will survive
A member of the public, mother-of-four Shetamia Taylor, was shot in the calf as she shielded her children, hiding her 15-year-old son under a car
The suspects 'have threatened to plant a bomb in the downtown area', Brown added.
An image of Mr Hughes was released by Dallas Police showing him walk through the city carrying what appeared to be an assault rifle and wearing a camouflage shirt. The force tweeted: 'Please help us find him!'
However, a video shows the black man wandering among panicked protesters moments after gunfire erupted and he is not shooting. His brother tweeted that he was not involved in the shooting and had taken himself to a police station after Dallas Police released his picture. Mr Hughes has now been released.
Officers were seen stopping a man at gunpoint from leaving downtown Dallas in a white SUV.
WFAA-TV reported the DART officers injured are Omar Cannon, 44, Misty McBride, 32, and Jesus Retana, 39. They are expected to recover from their injuries.
McBride, who is a mother, was reportedly shot in the shoulder but will survive.
A member of the public, mother-of-four Shetamia Taylor, was shot in the calf as she shielded her children, hiding her 15-year-old son under a car.
The rest of the killed and injured are yet to be identified.
Police found a suspicious package near where the alleged gunman was caught and a bomb squad are dealing with it. Pictured, police responding to gunshots
Armed police: Dallas police move to detain a driver after several police officers were shot in downtown Dallas on Thursday evening
Chaos: Protesters tripped over each other as they ran for cover in the seconds after the shooting began in Dallas on Thursday evening
On guard: Armed officers were seen standing outside of a building in downtown Dallas after the shooting on Thursday evening
A Dallas Area Rapid Transit police officer receives comfort at the Baylor University Hospital emergency room entrance after the shooting
Major Max Geron of the Dallas Police Force tweeted this photo of grieving officers. 'Packed Command Post operations tonight. We all knew the fallen,' he said
Flights are being re-routed around Dallas overnight, the FAA said, and delays and cancellations from local airports are expected.
Most of downtown Dallas is expected to be closed down tomorrow, with workers warned to ensure their offices are open before heading into the city.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott offered 'whatever assistance the City of Dallas needs at this time'.
'In times like this we must remember - and emphasize - the importance of uniting as Americans,' he said.
The search for the gunmen stretched throughout downtown, an area of hotels, restaurants, businesses and some residential apartments. The scene was chaotic, with helicopters hovering overhead and officers with automatic rifles on the street corners.
'Everyone just started running,' Devante Odom, 21, told The Dallas Morning News. 'We lost touch with two of our friends just trying to get out of there.'
Carlos Harris, who lives downtown, told the newspaper that the shooters 'were strategic. It was tap tap pause. Tap tap pause'.
Hundreds of people had marched through Dallas peacefully earlier on Thursday, demanding justice for Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, who were shot dead by police.
Police officers were seen shielding bystanders as they tried to evacuate the streets.
Former Republican Congressman Joe Walsh caused outrage when he tweeted that the Dallas killings 'mean war'.
Mr Walsh said, in a tweet that has now been deleted, '3 Dallas cops killed, 7 wounded. This is now war. Watch out Obama. Watch out black lives matter punks. Real America is coming for you.'
After receiving a wave of criticism on social media, he clarified: 'I wasn't calling for violence, against Obama or anyone. Obama's words & BLM's deeds have gotten cops killed. Time for us to defend our cops.'
The shootings came as thousands of people attended demonstrations against police brutality across America, with marches taking place in New York, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Chicago and Washington DC, as well as in Louisiana and Minnesota - where Sterling and Castile were killed.
Hundreds of people had marched through Dallas peacefully earlier on Thursday, demanding justice for Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, who were shot dead by police
Before the gunshots: People rally in Dallas, Texas, on Thursday to protest the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile
Protests swept the nation on Thursday evening as thousands of people took to the streets to demand justice for Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, who were shot dead by police. Pictured, protesters in New York
People take part in a protest for the killing of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile during a march along Manhattan's streets in New York
Demonstrations took place in New York, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Chicago and Washington DC (pictured), as well as in Louisiana and Minnesota - where the two black men were killed
Hundreds of activists, clergy members and residents marched through Philadelphia to show their anger at the recent shootings
Roads were blocked by angry demonstrators in Chicago after the shootings, which were all too familiar to residents of the city
Detained: Anger boiled over in Manhattan, where a group of women protesting the deaths were seen being arrested in Times Square
Two more women are pictured being arrested near Times Square in New York City after tensions boiled over during protests
Anger boiled over in Manhattan earlier on Thursday, where a group of women protesting the deaths were seen being arrested in Times Square.
For the third night in a row, thousands of people protested outside the store in Baton Rouge where Sterling, 37, was shot dead by police in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Meanwhile tensions continued to escalate in St Paul after the shooting of Philando Castile, where hundreds more people marched through the streets with signs labeling police officers 'murderers'.
The huge swell of protests is in response to the shootings of Sterling and Castile, who were both apparently not posing a serious threat to police officers when they were fatally shot.
Sterling, a street seller in Baton Rouge, was tackled to ground by officers after a 911 call was made - allegedly by a homeless man - about a black man who had flashed a firearm.
Officers Howie Lake and Blane Salamoni pinned the father-of-five down before firing six shots at Sterling, who had a gun in his pocket but did not appear to make any attempts to take it out during the confrontation.
Sterling was on probation and should not have been carrying a weapon. It is not clear which of the two officers - who are now on administrative leave - fired the shots.
It also emerged that Lake was previously suspended for his involvement of the shooting of another black man in December 2014.
There were claims of an attempted cover-up after police seized CCTV footage from the store where Sterling was shot, however it is now understood that the footage will be handed over to federal investigators.
The store's owner, Abdullah Muflahi, said the video and his entire surveillance system was taken without a warrant.
He recorded a separate, gruesome video of the incident on his cell phone and told Daily Mail Online that he feared police would attempt to seize his phone and delete the evidence.
When asked why he had not handed over the cellphone film, he said: 'I did not show them. When the cop was getting up, I put my phone away because I knew they were going to take it away.
'The truth had to come out. I did hold back from giving it to anybody for the first few hours till I had got my lawyers.'
Asked what he meant by the 'truth' he replied: 'I felt they didn't need to kill him.'
Alton Sterling was tackled to the ground and shot six times by police outside of a convenience store in Baton Rouge, Lousiana
Sterling (left) was killed following a confrontation outside a Baton Rouge convenience store early Tuesday morning. Castile (right), 32, was shot dead by a cop during a traffic stop in Minnesota
Caught on camera: On Wednesday in Minnesota, Philando Castile, 32, was shot dead by a cop during a traffic stop
Blane Salamoni (left) and three-year-veteran Howie Lake II (right) were the police officers involved in Sterling's shooting in Louisiana
Demonstators rally in the middle of Times Square after they march through the city and call for justice for Alton Sterling and Philandro Castile
Hundreds of people gathered in Times Square and Union Square in New York on Thursday to protest against the shootings, with tensions bubbling over
Emotional scenes: Marcia Bacchus stands quietly with her sign honoring Alton Sterling, killed by police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Rage continues: Protesters march to protest the shooting deaths of Philando Castile on Wednesday night in Falcon Heights, Minnesota
Anger on the streets: President Obama appealed for calm as protests swept the nation on Thursday in the wake of the two shootings
Protests also took place in Chicago, Philadelphia (pictured) and Atlanta, as well as in Baton Rouge, where protesters continued to block traffic
Castile was shot by an officer in St Pauls, a suburb of Minneapolis, on Wednesday after his car was stopped for a routine traffic stop.
His girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, insisted that police had stopped them for a busted tail light, which she claims wasn't even busted, and that Castile told the officer he had a firearm on him and a license, before the cop began shooting 'for no reason'.
She livestreamed the moments after the shooting on Facebook, showing Castile dying in the front of the car as blood seeped from his chest.
Hundreds of people gathered in Times Square and Union Square in New York on Thursday to protest against the shootings, with tensions bubbling over.
A group of women among the protesters were arrested, although it is not clear whether the demonstrations became violent at any stage.
Dozens more formed a crowd outside the White House in a symbolic protest that saw them wave placards and chant for change.
Protests also took place in Chicago, Philadelphia and Atlanta, as well as in Baton Rouge, where protesters continued to block traffic.
Also voicing her anger was Beyonce, who paused her show in Glasgow, Scotland, to display names of police brutality victims.
In an open letter, the Lemonade singer said: 'We are sick and tired of the killings of young men and women in our communities. It is up to us to take a stand and demand that they "stop killing us".
'We don't need sympathy. We need everyone to respect our lives.
'We're going to stand up as a community and fight against anyone who believes that murder or any violent action by those who are sworn to protect us should consistently go unpunished.'
Former Republican Congressman Joe Walsh caused outrage when he tweeted that the Dallas killings 'mean war'
After receiving a wave of criticism on social media, Mr Walsh clarified: 'I wasn't calling for violence, against Obama or anyone. Obama's words & BLM's deeds have gotten cops killed. Time for us to defend our cops'
President Obama is pictured in The Beast, the US presidential limousine, in Warsaw, Poland, as events unfolded in Dallas
Berton Boreaux holds a sign on the hood of a bus as a group of protesters demonstrate near a prayer vigil in memory of Alton Sterling, who was shot dead by police
Also voicing her anger was Beyonce, who paused her show in Glasgow, Scotland, to display names of police brutality victims
The furious demonstrations came as President Obama called for calm, but pleaded with police officers to treat minorities equally.
Obama said the recent spate of shootings was 'not just a black issue', saying all Americans should be troubled by black and Hispanic people being killed by cops.
The president was speaking in Warsaw, Poland, following the fatal police-involved shootings of street seller Alton Sterling, in Louisiana, and Philando Castile, in Minnesota.
'We have seen tragedies like these too many times,' a somber Obama said.
'When incidents like this occur, there's a big chunk of our fellow citizenry that feels as if - because of the color of their skin - they are not being treated the same. And that hurts. And that should trouble all of us.
'This is not just a black issue. It's not just a Hispanic issue. It's an American issue. All fair-minded people should be concerned.'
Governor of Minnesota Mark Dayton also joined the calls for change, launching a startling attack on 'racism' in the police, saying he does not believe that Castile would have been shot dead on Wednesday if he was white.
Gov Dayton said there was 'every indication' that police conduct in the shooting of Castile, a black man, was 'way in excess' of what the situation warranted.
'Would this have happened if the driver and the passengers were white?', asked Mr Dayton. 'I don't think it would have.
'This kind of racism exists and it's incumbent on all of us to vow that we're gonna do all that we can to see that it doesn't continue to happen.'
