Two gunmen shot eleven police officers in Dallas, Texas, during a protest on Thursday night, killing at least four of them, police said. The death toll makes this one of the deadliest days for police in the history of American law enforcement.
At a Thursday night press conference, Dallas Police Department Chief David Brown said the suspects threatened to place a bomb in the downtown area and that his department was coordinating with federal agencies.
One suspect is in custody after a shootout with SWAT officers, the Dallas Police Department said in a statement. Brown earlier said a suspect had been “cornered,†but did not offer further details. It’s unclear whether there are still suspects at large.
“At 8:58 p.m., our worst nightmare happened,†Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said at the press conference.
Two gunmen shot 11 police officers in #Dallas, Texas, during a protest on Thursday night, killing at least 4 of them pic.twitter.com/cGoeySqSkT
— Somalia Live Update (@HassanIstiila) July 8, 2016
Two of the deceased officers are from the Dallas Police Department. Dallas Area Rapid Transit also said four of the officers were from its police department, including one of the fatalities, on its official Twitter account.
The shootings occurred during a protest against police killings earlier this week in Louisiana and Minnesota. Hundreds rallied in downtown Dallas, near the corner of Main Street and Lamar Street. Local news footage captured what sounds like several gunshots being fired, and the crowd scattering.
Dallas police are searching for at least one shooter in the city’s downtown. No motive has yet been established and it’s unclear whether the shooting was related to the protest.
The Dallas Police Department tweeted photos earlier Thursday night of officers peacefully mingling with protesters at the demonstration.
#UPDATE Four US police officers shot dead at protest over killings of black men #Dallas pic.twitter.com/gJsh5pMLUa
— Somalia Live Update (@HassanIstiila) July 8, 2016
