Four years ago today, Dallas as we knew it changed.
On July 7, 2016, Micah Xavier Johnson opened fire on a group of police officers killing five and injuring nine others. Two civilians were also wounded. Johnson was a veteran and was angry over police shootings of black men. He stated that he wanted to kill white people, especially white police officers. The shooting happened at the end of a protest against the police killings in Louisiana and Minnesota which had taken place in the days prior.
Following the shooting, Johnson fled inside a building on the campus of El Centro College near the West End and a standoff ensued. In the early hours of July 8, police killed Johnson with a bomb attached to a remote control bomb disposal robot. It was the first time U.S. law enforcement had used a robot to kill a suspect.
The shooting was deemed the deadliest incident for U.S. law enforcement since 9/11.
The victims were:
- DPD Senior Cpl. Lorne Ahrens, 48
- DPD Officer Michael Krol, 40
- DPD Sgt. Michael Smith, 55
- DART Officer Brent Thompson, 43
- DPD Officer Patricio “Patrick” Zamarripa, 32
I had the honor of being able to see for myself firsthand what it was all about. I went downtown with a group of fellow photographers and then again with my aunt and cousin. Each time was a different experience and I am changed because of it. The photo album below are a few images that I captured that day.
This anniversary seems especially relevant in the world we live in today. As stated prior, ALL LIVES MATTER.
Take some time out of your day today and remember the lives that were lost that day four years ago and the families that feel the loss every day.
