UPDATE: At Least 11 Police Officers Shot At The ‘Black Lives Matter’ Protest In Dallas, Four Confirmed Dead
According to multiple social media reports, members of the Dallas police force have been shot at the Black Lives Matter protest.
The rally is being held in cities around America in the wake of two black men being killed by Police within 24 hours of each other.
KDFW-TV in Dallas is reporting that two officers were shot near Downtown Dallas Thursday evening as part of the protest. It’s believed that 20 shots in rapid succession were fired.
*UPDATE:3PM AEST
Dallas Police Department have confirmed that there were two snipers involved in shooting at least 11 police officers. We now know that four are dead, three are critical condition and two are in surgery with serious injuries, one remains in a critical condition.
On Twitter they released this photo of a suspect, calling for the public to help in the manhunt. However, twitter users have been quick to point out that the man is allegedly marching peacefully in the rally and is visible when the shots were fired. Texas is an open carry state, so it is possible that there are people at that protest with assault-style weapons legally. Yes. Legally.
https://twitter.com/DallasPD/status/751262719584575488
Twitter user @AmairanyMedel noticed the same man, clearly seen walking behind her calmly with the same gun slung over his shoulder.
YOU GUYS THE BLACK MAN THEYRE CLAIMING IS A SUSPECT IS INNOCENT HE WAS MARCHING BEHIND ME THE ENTIRE TIME pic.twitter.com/yAAvQugKpa
— Amairany (@WeirdHonie) July 8, 2016
Others have also been quick to spot him in the videos uploaded to social media following the chaos.
https://twitter.com/ivan_ramirezz16/status/751268299627835393
The " Suspect " Seen Here Not Shooting… “@dallasnewsphoto: Shots fired @dallasnews pic.twitter.com/EG8stdCZz0”
— Ben Boyd (@BenBoydKMOX) July 8, 2016
It’s now not known who or where this man is now.
According to reports both suspects are now in custody after a shootout with SWAT officers following suspicions that the pair were planning to plant a bomb in the downtown area. A package was dissevered near the suspects location and is now being secured by the city’s bomb squad. They posted the following update:
Update: pic.twitter.com/qBJe3q0EtN
— Dallas Police Dept (@DallasPD) July 8, 2016
This video dramatically live streamed to Facebook by Michael Kevin Bautista who recorded the situation as it unfolded. It’s petrifying.
We’ll have more on this as it comes in.
https://twitter.com/Eclipse_RyZe/status/751257368458063872
MANY gunshots heard in video I captured in #Dallas, just before 9p as rally marched through downtown @wfaachannel8 pic.twitter.com/1O3GB0b9xx
— Marie Saavedra (@MSaavedraTV) July 8, 2016
#BREAKING: Our cameras captured several shots ring out during a protest in Downtown Dallas pic.twitter.com/OWOBOOI8Jg
— FOX 4 NEWS (@FOX4) July 8, 2016
THIS ISNT A NORMAL GUN. AT ALL. WTF JUST HAPPENED????? #DALLAS pic.twitter.com/9gvxM8DFid
— Jon Targaryen (@Crym89s) July 8, 2016
#Breaking Multiple officers shot at “Black Lives Matter” protest in Dallas pic.twitter.com/JK7CKlHjoL
— WPMT FOX43 (@fox43) July 8, 2016