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Snipers Kill Four Dallas Officers, Injures Eight Others Amid Black Lives Matter Protest ‘Over Two Recent Fatal Police Shootings Of Black Men’

By Angelica N. Sumter
Published on: 18:04 PST, Jul 7, 2016

A Black Lives Matter protest in downtown Dallas, Texas, turned deadly when two snipers fatally shot 12 officers, injuring eight and killing four, according to the Washington Times. At approximately 8:45 p.m. Thursday, July 7, a shooting occurred as protesters were marching at the Belo Garden Park, near City Hall, for the “two recent fatal police shootings of black men,” Alton Sterling, 37, and Philando Castile, 32.

Authorities in Dallas say protestors began to scatter, including officers, amid Black Lives Matter protest when shots rang out in quick succession. Dallas police Chief David Brown stated that two snipers were shooting from “elevated positions,” where they were able to shoot 12 Dallas officers.

The police chief was able to confirm that four of the officers were killed during the protest and eight others were injured. However, that death toll may rise, as some of the Dallas officers are in grave condition.

It was not immediately made clear if Dallas police officials know the suspect’s name, but they have posted a picture of one the alleged snipers, who appeared to have been marching with the Black Lives Matter protesters before the mass shooting.

However, during a press conference Thursday, Brown stated that they “also believe that the suspects have threatened to plant a bomb in the downtown area. We have reached out to our federal law-enforcement partners, both the FBI and the ATF to help us search for the suspects or maybe more and to do a very thorough search of the area where we believe there might be a bomb planted.”

A recent update from the Dallas Police Department stated that “The person of interest whose picture has been circulated just turned himself in.”

“Another alleged suspect was in a shootout with Dallas SWAT officers. That suspect is also in custody. A suspicious package was discovered near this suspect’s location. The package is being secured by the DPD bomb squad.”

The DPD posted another update via Twitter that stated as follows: “A DPD officer observed an individual carrying a camouflage bag, walked quickly down Lamar St. The individual tossed the bag in the back of a black Mercedes and sped off at a high rate of speed.”

“Officers followed the vehicle southbound on I-35E and performed a traffic stop. Police are questioning both occupants in the vehicle.”

Mass shooting witness Devante Odom, 21, told reporters that “everyone was screaming” during the Black Lives Matter protest shooting. He added that he “lost touch with two of our friends just trying to get out of there.”

The Dallas protest mass shooting transpired in front of a live camera crew, who recorded as several police officials lay injured in the street, according to IB Times.

The lieutenant governor of Texas, Dan Patrick, post a statement via Twitter, which stated as follows: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the police officers who were shot in Dallas tonight.”

Several social media users were appalled by some of the breaking news reports as they allegedly tried to pin the Dallas shooting on the Black Lives Matter activists when they claimed the snipers were not involved in the protest.

Authorities in Dallas believe that the Black Livers Matter protest mass shooting stemmed from the recent fatal police shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. The two black men were complete strangers living in two different states who died less than 24 hours of each other as a result of police brutality.

Although the Black Lives Matter protest snipers are in police custody, the Dallas Police Department stated that if anyone has any information regarding the protest shooting, where two snipers are accused of fatally shooting four Dallas officers and injuring eight others amid Black Lives Matter protest, they are urged to contact 214-671–3482.

[Image via AP Images / Paul Holston]

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