Chaos erupted at a Dallas, Texas rally on Thursday night to protest the killings of two black men, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, at the hands of police. Snipers, targeting police, killed five officers and injured seven more. Two civilians were also injured.
Dallas police have three unnamed suspects in custody, and have released the name of a fourth suspect who was killed by the police after an extensive standoff and negotiations. Information about the victims is also trickling out.
Brent Thompson, 43
The first victim to be identified was Brent Thompson, who was an officer for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit authority. DART police Chief J.D. Spiller confirmed that Thompson had been killed, saying Thompson joined the department in 2009 and is the first DART officer to die in the line of duty in DART’s history.
DART chief JD Spiller just told me Brent Thompson had just married a fellow officer @wfaachannel8 pic.twitter.com/x5qMUvX5fQ
— David Goins (@dgoins) July 8, 2016
Thompson was married to another transit officer just two weeks ago. It’s 19 days until his birthday.
Spiller told MSNBC that Thompson was a “great officer,” who “served admirably during his time here at DART.” Before joining DART, Thompson worked for a private military contractor training police in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Patrick Zamarippa, 32
A family member of Zamarippa confirmed to the New York Daily News that he was killed in the attack.
Zamarripa was a loving husband and father of a two-year-old daughter who was just learning to talk, according to his family.
Daddy’s got you #Lyncoln. pic.twitter.com/xtZ8oScWB4
— Patrick Zamarripa (@PatrickEZ01) December 16, 2013
Before joining the Dallas Police, he served three tours in Iraq with the Navy.
“You always think of somebody that would die in war or get killed in Iraq in a foreign country. But not here,” his stepmother, Maria Zamarripa, told the NY Daily News.
“He loved being a cop. He loved helping people.”
Michael Krol, 27
Sheriff Benny Napoleon of Wayne County, Michigan said that former sheriff’s deputy Michael Krol was among the victims. Krol reportedly moved to Dallas in 2007 to be a Police Officer in the Dallas Police Department.
Michael Krol, 27, has been identified as one of the fallen DPD officers. #Dallas DETAILS: https://t.co/2lbBbI370Q pic.twitter.com/Yp0E6IHKQG
— FOX 5 Atlanta (@FOX5Atlanta) July 8, 2016
“We are saddened by the loss of the dedicated officers in Dallas — one of whom was a former member of this agency — and also the wounding of the other officers,” Sheriff Benny Napoleon said in a statement. “Those officers made the ultimate sacrifice and died honoring their oaths to protect and serve. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their families and also the Dallas Police Department.”
Wounded
Three wounded DART officers have also been identified: Officers Omar Cannon, 44, Misty McBride, 32, and Jesus Retana, 39. All three are expected to recover.
McBride is reportedly recovering at a local hospital from gunshots to the arm and abdomen. On local television this morning her 10-year-old daughter told reporters, “I’m just glad she’s alive.”
Shetamia Taylor- shot at rally tonight. Her sister tells us she was shielding her kids @NBCDFW pic.twitter.com/zvaj6FGXNU
— Julie Fine (@JulieFineNBC5) July 8, 2016
Two civilians were also wounded. One of those civilians has been identified as 37-year-old Shetamia Taylor, who reportedly was shot in the calf while shielding her four sons.
Alex Zielinski contributed to this report. This piece will be updated as more information about the victims is made available.
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