Sterling’s son with his mother weeps during media appearance
Four police officers were shot and killed with several others wounded in Dallas, Texas, towards the end of a protest against the killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and St. Paul, Minnesota, respectively.
The killings Wednesday of Sterling and Castile –two unrelated killings by police in two different states– ignited anger and outrage across the country.
A video tape of Sterling’s killing shows that police had subdued him and one officer was kneeling on him when the officer shot him multiple times; the camera had turned momentarily as Sterling was shot.
The video shows that he did not have a weapon in his hands or seem to be in a position to threaten the two officers.
The police later claim a weapon was found on him after the killing.
Castile was shot as he sat in his car and reached for his ID after being stopped by police.
Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton said Castile wouldn’t have been shot had be been a White man.
Protest marches occurred throughout the country and President Obama who is on a European tour also spoke out against the police killings of African Americans and Latinos while also stressing the need to support police officers.
Dallas was one of the locations for Thursday protests which were reported to have been peaceful as they were across the country, including in New York City, until the shootings occurred at about 9PM.
The Dallas Police Department early this morning said a suspect was in custody in addition to a “person of interest,” who earlier was identified as a suspect when the police tweeted his photograph — he had a rifle slung over his shoulder but Texas is an open carry state.
Shortly after the man was identified as a suspect someone tweeted a video –and others a photo– showing the man
seemingly confused as were the other marchers and certainly not firing his weapon.
The protest march was in downtowm Dallas.
According to David Brown, the Dallas police chief two snipers were involved in the shooting of the officers.
Seven officers were reportedly being operated on for injuries.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the police officers who were shot in Dallas tonight, Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick said in a tweet.
The shootings come at a critical point in this year’s election cycle and is very likely to become an issue between the GOP’s Donald Trump and the Democratic Party’s Hillary Clinton; both are the presumptive nominees of their parties.
