Dallas sniper attack: 5 officers killed, suspect identified

Dallas sniper attack: 5 officers killed, suspect identified

“It’s Time to Pray, Care, and Share in this Chaos,” says Mary Marr of the Christian Emergency Network

By Dan Wooding, Founder of ASSIST News Service

DALLAS, TX (July 8, 2016) — In what turned out to be the deadliest single day for law enforcement officers since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, five Dallas police officers were killed and seven others wounded on Thursday night when sniper fire from what turned out to be a lone gunman turned a peaceful protest over recent police shootings into a scene of chaos and terror.

The gunfire was followed by a standoff that lasted for hours with an attacker, 25-year-old Micah Xavier Johnson of Mesquite, Texas, a military veteran who'd served in Afghanistan, telling authorities that “he was upset about the recent police shootings” and “said he wanted to kill white people, especially white officers,” according to Dallas Police Chief David Brown.

The gunman was eventually killed when police detonated a bomb-equipped robot.

According to CNN, Police later searched Johnson’s home Friday afternoon and found bomb-making materials, ballistic vests, rifles, ammunition and a personal journal of combat tactics. Investigators are analyzing information in the journal, a police statement said.

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said on Friday afternoon that investigators determined Johnson was “the lone shooter in this incident,” confirming what federal officials had told CNN.

“This was a mobile shooter who had written manifestos on how to shoot and move, shoot and move, and that's what he did,” Rawlings said at a news conference. “As we've started to unravel this fishing knot, we've come to realize this shooting came from one building at different levels.”

Rawlings stressed that other people may have been involved in planning the attack.

Dallas police Chief David Brown spoke at a prayer rally on Friday and said: “Through our investigation of some of the suspects, it's revealed to us that this was a well-planned, well-thought-out, evil tragedy by these suspects.”

Nobody has been charged, Gov. Greg Abbott said, but police want to make sure every lead is investigated.

The deadly gunfire erupted in Dallas after videos showing two African-American men shot by police in Louisiana and Minnesota spurred protests and debate over police use of force across the country.

“It’s Time to Pray, Care, and Share…”

Following the terrible events in Dallas, Mary Marr, President of the Christian Emergency Network (CEN), issued an advisory, in which she said, “It’s Time to Pray, Care, and Share in this Chaos.”

The advisory sent to ANS said, “While our nation is grieving today with those in Dallas, Texas, where five law enforcement officers gave their lives and others were injured protecting citizens exercising their Constitutional rights to protest last night, CEN ReadyDallas is activated and responding with the Hope of Christ!

“And, as Dallas continues to mitigate this crisis, other cities nationwide beef up their local law enforcement in Phoenix and Denver to prepare for more planned anti-police protests today and in Indianapolis tomorrow, CEN Security officers are diligently responding by monitoring events to assist in Christian awareness, readiness and to offer a biblical response.”

Marr went on to say that during an interview, Ed Smith, CEN ReadyDallas Security Officer and National Chaplain, said: “America saw a tragic milestone last night with a massive assault on Dallas Police officers. Emotions, fears anxieties, and hatred are running rampant alongside calls for peace, support for police, national calm, and love for their neighbors.

“In this crisis, Christ is manifesting in His people a spirit of unity in prayer, in lovingly gathering resources, and in responding alongside the fellowship of believers. Let us pray this violence, division and terrorism does not live on as the ‘new normal’ in the United States of America and that His people will continue to lovingly and tangibly share the Hope of Christ.”

Mary Marr then spoke about how to respond with CEN ReadyDallas and Ed Smith Today! Here’s how:

Pray:

* Pray for the Dallas officers’ families who have fallen and those injured to be comforted, healed in their intense pain, and strengthened in the days ahead.

* Pray for violence, division, and terrorism to be halted and for Christ to be the “new normal” in our nation.

* Pray for those cities in which further protests are being organized to have peaceful, Constitutionally-protected demonstrations free of harm to anyone.

* Pray for Christians who will lead their family, church, and city for greater situational awareness, biblical readiness, and in courage sharing Christ in any emergency whether large or small. Just as police go toward a crisis, so do Christians with the full armor of God!

For more information, please go to: http://www.christianemergencynetwork.org/ 

Note from Dan Wooding: Like so many living here in the United States, I wonder when the violence will end. It certainly shows no sign of stopping at this time. As Christians, let us play a role in trying to put a stop to all the hatred that is causing so much heartbreak and also do what we can to show love rather than anger, even to those we may not like. Otherwise, who knows where all of this will end. It’s Americans killing Americans, and is too frightening to contemplate.

Photo captions: 1) Dallas Police officers during the shootout. 2) Two Dallas Police officers during the sniper attack. 3) Mary Marr. 4) Three officers from the station that lost three officers praying together today at the station. (Photo: CEN). 5) A Dallas Police officer is contemplating the wall that has pictures of his fallen officer colleagues and that three more from his station will be added. (Photo: CEN). 6) Norma and Dan Wooding. (Photo: Bryan Seltzer).

About the writer: Dan Wooding, 75, is an award-winning winning author, broadcaster and journalist who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, and is now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for some 53 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six grandchildren who all live in the UK. Dan is the founder and international director of the ASSIST News Service (ANS), and is also the author of some 45 books. In addition, Dan has a radio program and two TV shows all based in Southern California.

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