Nation reacts to shooting deaths of police officers, black men in Texas, Minnesota, Louisiana
Mourners and demonstrators gathered nationwide in the wake of the shooting deaths of five Dallas police officers, and of two black men shot fatally by police, Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota.
- Two people embrace as demonstrators gather outside the governor’s residence Friday, July 8, 2016, in St. Paul, Minn. where protests continue over the shooting death by police of Philando Castile after a traffic stop Wednesday, July 6, in Falcon Heights. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
- In this photo taken Thursday, July 7, 2016, two women stand together during a vigil at the University of Michigan Diag in Ann Arbor, Mich., in honor of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, two black men recently shot and killed by police. (Katy Kildee/The Ann Arbor News via AP)
- In this photo taken Thursday, July 7, 2016, women hold up signs during a vigil at the University of Michigan Diag in Ann Arbor, Mich., in honor of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, two black men recently shot and killed by police. (Katy Kildee/The Ann Arbor News via AP)
- In this photo taken Thursday, July 7, 2016, Eric Aiken stares at the ground as he listens to speakers during a vigil at the University of Michigan Diag in Ann Arbor, Mich., in honor of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, two black men recently shot and killed by police. (Katy Kildee/The Ann Arbor News via AP)
- In this photo taken Thursday, July 7, 2016, a demonstrator holds a sign at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza during a protest in Oakland, Calif., protesting deadly police shootings of black men. The protest began with a mostly peaceful rally and march. Officer Johnna Watson says in a news release that about 1,000 demonstrators then headed to Interstate 880, bringing traffic to a halt. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/San Jose Mercury News via AP)
- Demonstrators block traffic along Interstate 880 in Oakland, Calif., protesting deadly police shootings of black men. The protest began with a mostly peaceful rally and march. Officer Johnna Watson says in a news release that about 1,000 demonstrators then headed to Interstate 880, bringing traffic to a halt. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/San Jose Mercury News via AP)
- Dallas Police officers walk past roses left at the front doors of the station as part of a makeshift memorial, Friday, July 8, 2016, in Dallas. Five police officers are dead and several injured following a shooting during what began as a peaceful protest in the city the night before. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
- A young boy wears a police uniform as he takes part in a prayer vigil at Thanksgiving Square, Friday, July 8, 2016, in Dallas. Five police officers are dead and several injured following a shooting during what began as a peaceful protest in the city the night before. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
- People take part in a prayer vigil at Thanksgiving Square, Friday, July 8, 2016, in Dallas. Five police officers are dead and several injured following a shooting during what began as a peaceful protest in the city the night before. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
- Al Smith, a city of Houston employee, lowers the flags in front of the Houston Police Memorial at Memorial Park to half staff, Friday, July 8, 2016, in Houston, in response to five police officers who were fatally shot during what began as a peaceful protest in Dallas the night before. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via AP)
- Jim Constantine, right, his wife Gretchen Constantine, left, and others joined hands during a prayer service for local police, and those police officers who were fatally shot during what began as a peaceful protest in Dallas, Friday afternoon, July 8 2016, at Memorial Park in Arlington Heights, Ill. (Jeff Knox/Daily Herald via AP)
- Acting Houston Police Chief Martha Montalvo hugs Bishop James Dixon after a prayer vigil at the Houston Police Department, Friday, July 8, 2016, in Houston, in response to five police officers who were fatally shot during what began as a peaceful protest in Dallas the night before. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via AP)
- Rev. Jeff Hood and other organizers of Thursday’s protest hold a news conference, Friday, July 8, 2016, in Dallas. Five police officers are dead and several injured following a shooting during what began as a peaceful protest in the city the night before. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
- Sara Trok sits alone with her sign as demonstrators gather outside the governor’s residence Friday, July 8, 2016, in St. Paul, Minn. , where protests continue over the shooting death by police of Philando Castile after a traffic stop Wednesday, July 6, in Falcon Heights. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
- Banners block the entrance gate as demonstrators gather outside the governor’s residence Friday, July 8, 2016, in St. Paul, Minn., where protests continue over the shooting death by police of Philando Castile after a traffic stop Wednesday, July 6, in Falcon Heights. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
- Baton Rouge Council member Tara Wicker speaks during a rally at Baton Rouge City Hall on July 8, 2016 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The local NAACP is calling for a boycott of Walmart and two local shopping malls in the Alton Sterling shooting according to Mike McClanahan, the president of the local NAACP. Sterling was shot and killed by police in front of the Triple S Food Mart in Baton Rouge on July 5th, leading the Department of Justice to open a civil rights investigation. (Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images)
- People take part in a prayer vigil at Thanksgiving Square, Friday, July 8, 2016, in Dallas. Five police officers are dead and several injured following a shooting during what began as a peaceful protest in the city the night before. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
- Rappers The Game (L) and Snoop Dogg (C) make their way into LAPD headquarters on July 8, 2016, after they led a peaceful demonstration outside a Los Angeles Police Department recruit graduation ceremony in what they called an effort to promote unity in the aftermath of the deadly shootings of police officers in Dallas. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images)
- With black ribbons across their badge and holding a gun, police recruits attend their graduation ceremony at LAPD Headquarters where rappers Snoop Dogg and The Game led a peaceful demonstration outside on July 8, 2016 in Los Angeles, California, in what they called an effort to promote unity in the aftermath of the deadly shootings of police officers in Dallas. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images)
- Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings bows his head in prayer during a vigil in Thanks-Giving Square in Dallas, Texas, on July 8, 2016, following the shootings during a peaceful protest on July 7 which left 5 police officers dead. (Laura Buckman/AFP/Getty Images)
- People pray at a faith vigil at Thanks-Giving Square in Dallas, Texas on July 8, 2016, following the shootings during a peaceful protest on July 7 which left 5 police officers dead. (Laura Buckman/AFP/Getty Images)
- Dallas Police Chief David Brown receives a hug during a vigil in Thanks-Giving Square in Dallas, Texas, on July 8, 2016, following the shootings during a peaceful protest on July 7 which left 5 police officers dead. (Laura Buckman/AFP/Getty Images)
- Dallas Police Chief David Brown prays during a a vigil at Thanks-Giving square in Dallas on July 8, 2016, following the shootings during a peaceful protest on July 7 which left 5 police officers dead. (Laura Buckman/AFP/Getty Images)
- People gather to hold a faith vigil at Thanks-Giving Square in Dallas, Texas, on July 8, 2016, following the shootings during a peaceful protest on July 7 which left 5 police officers dead. (Laura Buckman/AFP/Getty Images)
- A man holds a sign reading “We Stand With You Dallas” during a vigil at Thanks-Giving Square in Dallas, Texas, on July 8, 2016, following the shootings during a peaceful protest on July 7 which left 5 police officers dead. (Laura Buckman/AFP/Getty Images)
- New York Police Department (NYPD) officers patrol in Central Park on July 8, 2016 in New York City. The NYPD increased their presence around the city following the shooting deaths of five Dallas police officers during a Black Lives Matters demonstration on July 7. New York saw its own demonstrations where dozens of people were arrested while protesting a pair of fatal police shootings of black men. (Photo by Kena Betancur/Getty Images)
- Mesquite resident Kimberly Smith stands in front of the home of her neighbor, Micah Xavier Johnson, at 3005 Helen Lane, Mesquite, Texas following the fatal shootings of five police officers on July 8, 2016 in Mesquite, Texas. Johnson has been identified as the suspected sniper in the fatal shooting of five police officers, and injuring seven more at a demonstration held on July 7, 2016 in Dallas, Texas. Smith said she did not know Johnson personally but that he was known as a good person and that she was surprised by the news. (Photo by Stewart F. House/Getty Images)
- People gather in a prayer vigil following the shooting deaths of five police officers last night during a Black Live Matter march on July 8, 2016 in Dallas, Texas. Five police officers were killed and seven others were injured in a coordinated ambush at a anti-police brutality demonstration in Dallas. Investigators are saying the suspect is 25-year-old Micah Xavier Johnson of Mesquite, Texas. This is the deadliest incident for U.S. law enforcement since September 11. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
- People gather in a prayer vigil following the shooting deaths of five police officers last night during a Black Live Matter march on July 8, 2016 in Dallas, Texas. Five police officers were killed and seven others were injured in a coordinated ambush at a anti-police brutality demonstration in Dallas. Investigators are saying the suspect is 25-year-old Micah Xavier Johnson of Mesquite, Texas. This is the deadliest incident for U.S. law enforcement since September 11. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
The Dallas shooting broke out late Thursday — the deadliest day for U.S. law enforcement since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks — during what had been a peaceful protest against shootings by police officers that claimed the lives of Sterling and Castile. About 800 people were marching through downtown, flanked by about 100 police officers, when the gunfire began.
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–Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Del Quentin Wilber, Matt Pierce
Los Angeles Times