Dallas seeks path to overcome the killing of five policemen

Still traumatized by the recent killing of five police officers, Dallas on Sunday experienced an emotional day of reflection marked by harmony to overcome a tragedy that stirs debate on racial tensions in the US.

The Texan city gradually tries to restore normality after the historic center of Dallas was stained with blood last Thursday.

The sniper, Micah Xavier Johnson, a 25-year-old former Army reservist, turned a peaceful 'Black Lives Matter' protest against police violence towards minorities (especially African Americans) into a butcher's shop that ended the lives of five policemen.

Before dying from C-4 explosives, Johnson confessed his anger over the deaths of two black men at the hands of police this week in Minnesota and Louisiana and said he wanted to "kill white people".

The echo of the slaughter, the worst attack on police in the US since the terrorist attacks on Sep. 11, 2001, reverberated strongly in the sermons delivered during the Sunday service in the city.

About 7,000 gathered at the Potter's House megachurch for an emotional service, led by Bishop T. D. Jakes, according to what the church's spokesman told Efe.

"Those agents gave their lives protecting not only blacks, but white people, Latinos, people of all races. Praise the Lord for these agents," said an African American minister, who was applauded by an excited congregation responding with a loud "Amen."

Also invited to the service at Potter's House Church was Sandra Sterling, the aunt of the slain man in Louisiana. She called for "justice" for the loss of her nephew who was the source of her "strength" and condemned the killing of five officers in the Texas city.

"I'm sorry about what has happened in Dallas. We don't want violence," Sterling told a group of reporters.

She also had words for US President Barack Obama who is scheduled to visit Dallas Tuesday to deliver a speech in honor of the five police officers who lost their lives.

"I would ask him to help us before leaving office (next January). There are laws in Louisiana that are old and need a change," said Sandra Sterling in response to a question from Efe.

A few kilometers from the church, locals still stop by a makeshift memorial built on two police patrol cars which is blanketed by flowers, cards, balloons, flags and stuffed animals at the Dallas Police Department headquarters.

Source: EFE

Dallas suspect involved in killing of 5 police officers has died

The Dallas shooting suspect who was involved in killing 5 police officers during a peaceful 'Black Lives Matter' protest against police violence last night in Dallas, Texas, USA, is dead after more than an hour holing up in a car park, local channel NBCDFW reports.

Although at first, it was reported that the suspect has been shot dead by police, it was later questioned and at the moment it is unknown whether the suspect was shot dead by the police or he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The deceased was one of the alleged perpetrators of the shooting last night, who killed five police officers and wounded another six. The suspect then barricaded himself in a parking lot and claimed to have placed bombs all over the city center.

The suspect has continued to exchange gunfire with police officers during negotiation, and has said that "the end is coming," and has vowed to hurt and kill more police. He also said he has placed several bombs in the parking lot and in other parts of downtown Dallas.

Apart from the deceased, three other suspects are being held in police custody, including a woman who was arrested in the garage and two others who were traveling in a Mercedes car.

According to NBCDFW, the police still keep a large area of downtown Dallas closed and are investigating two suspicious packages for the possibility of containing explosives.

Two separate bomb disposal squads were deployed to the premises where the suspicious packages were found, according to the local TV channel.

Source: EFE

Cinco policiais morrem em Dallas durante manifestação contra a violência

Pelo menos cinco policiais foram mortos em uma manifestação, ontem (7) à noite, nas ruas da cidade de Dallas, no estado do Texas, nos Estados Unidos. Mais 11 policiais foram baleados. Segundo relatos de testemunhas, a manifestação estava sendo feita de forma pacífica e visava a protestar contra a ação da polícia que, anteriormente, nos estados de Minnesota e Louisiana, atirou e matou duas pessoas de cor negra. Segundo testemunhas, os suspeitos aparentemente  não faziam parte da manifestação de Dallas e atiraram intencionalmente nos policiais que acompanhavam os protestos.

Três pessoas foram presas e um quarto suspeito estava sendo procurado na madrugada de hoje (8), depois de trocar tiros com policiais.

O chefe de polícia de Dallas, David Brown, descreveu a ação dos atiradores como de "estilo emboscada". Em entrevista, no fim da noite, David Brown disse: "Acreditamos que esses suspeitos foram se colocando de forma triangular sobre policiais de duas posições diferentes em garagens no centro da cidade". De acordo com o chefe da polícia, os atiradores "estavam planejando ferir e matar tantos policiais quanto pudessem". Alguns agentes foram feridos nas costas.

Dezenas de pessoas que participavam da manifestação, interrompida pela ação de atiradores contra policiais, ficaram retidas no centro de Dallas: elas não puderam sair do local porque o serviço de transporte coletivo foi interrompido para permitir que a polícia tentasse prender suspeitos.

Causas

O tiroteio em Dallas teve início às 20h45, quando centenas de pessoas se reuniram no centro da cidade para protestar contra a morte de dois negros, em ações executadas por policiais brancos, em duas cidades: em Baton Rouge, Louisiana, terça-feira (5), que resultou na morte de Aldo Sterling; e em Saint  Paul, Minnesota, quarta-feira (6), que provocou a morte de Philando Castile. Os dois episódios tiveram ampla repercussão no país porque foram filmados por aparelho celular e colocados no Facebook.

O que causou mais impacto foi o vídeo em que a namorada de Castile, Lavish Reynolds, registrou os momentos que se seguiram a disparos da polícia. No vídeo, Lavish Reynolds aparece sentada no banco do passageiro de um veículo com o namorado, ainda vivo, no assento do motorista e com uma camisa branca manchada de sangue. A filha de Lavish, de 4 anos, também estava no carro.

Em Chicago, manifestantes interromperam ontem um trecho da via Dan Ryan, uma das principais da cidade. Em Nova York, centenas de manifestantes bloquearam o tráfego na Times Square, no coração de Manhattan, entoando a palavra de ordem "mãos para cima, não atire". Devido às manifestações, mais de dez pessoas foram presas.

Fonte: Agência Brasil