Dallas officers ambushed: Suspect said he wanted to kill whites, acted alone

DALLAS — Latest updates on the shooting of 12 police officers in Dallas:

UPDATE 6:15 p.m.: The Dallas Police Department says they have received requests from across the nation about donations. They have directed people to two different websites. http://atodallas.org/ and http://www.dallasfoundation.org/.

UPDATE 5 p.m.: Dallas police say the slain suspect in the killings of five police officers had bomb-making materials, ballistic vests, rifles, ammunition, and a personal journal of combat tactics at his home.

They also say that people they interviewed have described 25-year-old Micah Johnson as a loner.

The department also said in a statement Friday that detectives have interviewed more than 200 members of law enforcement and that "it appears at least 12 officers" fired their weapons when someone opened fired on police Thursday night. It happened during a demonstration to protest the recent killings of black men by police in Louisiana and Minnesota.

Police killed Johnson using a robot-delivered bomb after negotiations failed.

They say detectives are in the processing of analyzing the information contained in the journal.

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UPDATE 1 p.m.:  Dallas Police Chief David Brown says a shooting attack that left five police officers dead was "well planned."

Speaking at an interfaith prayer vigil in downtown Dallas on Friday, Brown called the shootings the previous night a "well-thought-out evil tragedy," saying his force "won't rest until we bring everyone involved to justice."

Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths were represented at the vigil that was attended by hundreds.

Seven other police officers were wounded in the shooting during a protest over the killing of black men by white police officers in Louisiana and Minnesota. Two civilians were also hurt, but Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings has said no one suffered life-threatening injuries.

Brown has blamed "snipers," but it is unclear how many shooters were involved in Thursday's attack.

UPDATE 12:15 p.m.:  U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch spoke shortly after noon regarding the attack in Dallas. She said the U.S. Department of Justice is providing assistance to the investigation into the ambush and will continue to do so.

Lynch called the shootings "an unfathomable tragedy" in a week of "profound heartbreak and loss," but said violence is not the answer.

"The answer must never be violence...our answer must be action," Lynch said. "We must continue working to guarantee every person in this country equal protection under the law."

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UPDATE 11:08 a.m.: A Texas law enforcement official has identified the slain suspect in the Dallas attack as Micah Johnson, 25.

UPDATE 8:45 a.m.: Dallas Police chief David Brown said the suspect involved in the deadly ambush of officers was upset about the recent shootings and said he wanted to kill whites.  The suspect said he was not affiliated with any groups and that he acted alone.

Chief Brown said the suspect did not kill himself, as previously reported. The chief said officers used a robot to detonate a bomb next to the suspect after hours of negotiations failed.

"We negotiated with him, he seemed lucid," Chief Brown said. "He wanted to kill officers, he wanted to kill white people."

Five officers were killed and seven others wounded when a sniper opened fire during a peaceful protest. Two civilians were injured. Investigators have not confirmed how many suspects are in custody.

UPDATE 7:40 a.m.: Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings told CBS the suspect involved in a standoff with police has died. Rawlings also said 12 officers were shot and two civilians injured. (We should learn more about the investigation after a news conference from police at 8:30 a.m., which you'll be able to watch live on FOX25 or in the FOX25 app.)

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UPDATE: 7 a.m.: After two separate searches, Dallas Police say they have not found any explosives. One of the suspected gunmen had made a bomb threat before taking his own life.

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UPDATE: 5:30 a.m.: President Obama spoke from Poland Friday morning, calling the ambush on officers "a wrenching reminder of the sacrifices they make for us."

President Obama went on to say that the officers were "doing their jobs" and keeping people safe during the peaceful protests that were taking place. He said when people are armed with powerful weapons, it makes attacks like these more tragic.

>> Obama: Dallas shooting 'vicious, calculated, despicable attack on law enforcement'

"Anyone involved in these senseless murders will be held fully accountable," he said. "Justice will be done."

The President then called for the nation to "remember to express our profound gratitude to our men and women in blue...not just today, but every day."

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UPDATE 5 a.m.: Police say every motive is on the table and they are hoping to get a break from one of the suspects. In all the gunfire, it appears only one civilian, a woman, was hurt in the shooting. Local TV outlets say she was hit in the leg and then shielded by her son. The woman is expected to be okay.

One of the suspected gunmen warned police there were bombs set in the city. Bomb squads are searching for any explosives, but so far none have been found.

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UPDATE 4:05 a.m.: It appears that a standoff with the fourth and final suspect in the shooting has come to an end.

Eleven officers were shot. Five of the officers were killed.

Investigators believe the shooters triangulated themselves in different, elevated spots in the city and opened fire over the crowd.

Police say they themselves were the target. It appears to have been a preplanned ambush.

The Dallas Police Chief says three people are in custody. One of the people is a woman who was near a parking garage.

The other two people were spotted throwing a camouflage bag into a car and speeding away. They were stopped by police and are now being interviewed.

According to our FOX station in Dallas, a fourth suspect who had been negotiating with police in a parking garage near the shooting has killed himself.

So far, police have checked out one suspicious package, but we haven't heard any confirmation of bombs being discovered. The chief has also said he can't be certain all the suspects have been located. He and the mayor are urging people to stay out of downtown.

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UPDATE 3:50 a.m.: Dallas Area Rapid Transit has identified its officer who was fatally shot when snipers opened fire during a downtown Dallas protest.

DART said early Friday morning that 43-year-old officer Brent Thompson was killed in the Thursday night shootings. He'd joined the DART Police Department in 2009.

DART says he's the first officer killed in the line of duty since the agency formed a police department in 1989. The statement says "our hearts are broken."

DART says the other three DART police officers shot during the protest are expected to recover from their injuries.

Also killed during the shootings were four Dallas police officers.

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UPDATE 3:10 a.m.: Police say a fifth officer has died after snipers opened fire on police at a rally in Dallas. Six other officers were injured.

The gunfire broke out Thursday night while hundreds of people were gathered to protest fatal police shootings this week in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and suburban St. Paul, Minnesota.

Dallas Police Chief David Brown said three people are in custody and a fourth suspect was exchanging gunfire with authorities in a parking garage downtown early Friday.

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UPDATE 1:45 a.m.: Police say there are three suspects in custody and a fourth suspect involved in a standoff with police in a parking garage. Chief Brown said that at this point it is unclear if there are any additional suspects still at large. Two of the suspects in custody were arrested after police observed them driving away from the area, the third was a female arrested in the vicinity of the parking garage.

The suspect in the garage has been firing shots at officers and not cooperating with them. The suspect also allegedly told police "the end is coming" and that more officers will be hurt and killed. Additionally, this suspect said there were still explosive devices planted around the garage and the city.

Brown said officers believe the four suspects were working together to triangulate their shooting and pin down police near the end of the protest route. It is unclear, Brown said, if the protest organizers were complicit with the shooters.

The Dallas mayor said the downtown area where the shooting occurred will be considered a crime scene and people will not be allowed in the area. Anyone who works or lives in the area is asked to check on the Dallas city website to learn how large that crime scene will be.

Brown said they do not expect another live news conference until the morning.

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UPDATE: 1 a.m.: Dallas police say they saw a person walking down the street with a large camouflaged bag get into a vehicle and then speed away from the area.

Police followed and stopped that vehicle and are questioning both people in the vehicle.

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UPDATE: 12:30 a.m.: Dallas police say the person of interest whose picture was circulated has turned himself in to police. A second alleged suspect was involved in a shootout with Dallas SWAT officers and is also in custody.

Police said a suspicious package was discovered near the second suspect's location and is being secured by the Dallas Police Department bomb squad.

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The Dallas police chief says two snipers shot 10 officers, killing three of them Thursday night during a protest in Dallas.

The gunfire broke out around 8:45 p.m. Thursday. Live TV video showed a crowd of about 800 protesters marching along Main Street in downtown when the shots erupted and the crowd scattered, seeking cover.

"Tonight it appears that two snipers shot ten police officers from elevated positions during the protest/rally," Chief David Brown wrote in a statement.

During a news conference, Brown said there was believed to be at least one explosive device hidden in the area.

Brown also said there was one suspect who may have been cornered and negotiating with police.

In addition to the 11 officers shot, one civilian suffered gunshot wounds.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says he has directed the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety to offer "whatever assistance the City of Dallas needs at this time."

Scores of police and security officers were on hand. Police and others hunched behind cars outside a parking garage. Officers with guns drawn were running near and into the parking garage as police searched for the shooters.

This is a breaking news story, stay with FOX25 for the latest information as it becomes available.

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