Five officers dead after ambush at Dallas rally

World Today

A Dallas Area Rapid Transit and Dallas police cruiser sit out front of Dallas Police Department headquarters nearly covered in flowers, balloons and other mementos serving as a makeshift memorial honoring the officers killed, Friday, July 8, 2016, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

A call for calm and unity across the United States. Twelve police officers were shot – five of them died. It happened in Texas at a rally to protest the recent killings of two African-American men by police.

CCTV America’s Hendrick Sybrandy has the latest.

Officials called for calm across the United States, after the deadliest day for police officers since 9/11.

Downtown Dallas was empty and quiet, on this day after. Only television news crews were out in the harsh afternoon heat. It was a very different scene from less than 24 hours earlier.

A protest against two recent police shootings of African-American men in the U.S. states of Louisiana and Minnesota was wrapping up on Thursday evening when suddenly shots rang out. Officers here fell to the ground. A dozen of them in all were hit.

Police said the suspect, 25-year-old Micah Johnson, a former Army vet, ran into a nearby parking garage and began exchanging gunfire with other officers. Police said he told them what had prompted the attack.


Hilary Shelton discusses the police ambush in Dallas

For more on the police ambush in Dallas, CCTV America’s Asieh Namdar spoke with Hilary Shelton, Washington Bureau Director and senior vice president for advocacy with the NAACP.


Peter Vincent discusses the divisiveness between police, citizens

For more on the police ambush in Dallas and tensions between police and citizens, CCTV America’s Mike Walter spoke with Peter Vincent, director counselor for International Policy for BORDERPOL & DHS counterterrorism official about the shooting and its aftermath.