Dallas is marking the 10th anniversary of the July 7, 2016, ambush that killed five law enforcement officers during a peaceful downtown demonstration. The attack remains one of the deadliest targeted assaults on police in modern U.S. history.
The shooting claimed the lives of four Dallas police officers and one Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) officer, wounded nine other officers and two civilians, and permanently changed the city’s law enforcement community.
The demonstration began around 7 p.m. as hundreds gathered at Belo Garden Park following the fatal police shootings of two Black men earlier that week in Louisiana and Minnesota. An estimated 800 people marched through downtown Dallas, chanting slogans including “Black Lives Matter,” “Hands up, don’t shoot,” and “Enough is enough.”
Nearly 100 Dallas police officers accompanied the demonstration, directing traffic and helping ensure the march remained peaceful.
Gunfire Erupts
Just before 9 p.m., the peaceful demonstration turned into chaos.
Authorities said 25-year-old Army Reserve veteran Micah Xavier Johnson opened fire from an elevated position near Main and Lamar streets, targeting officers assigned to protect the march.
The initial barrage killed Dallas Police Officer Michael Krol, Officer Patrick Zamarripa, and Senior Cpl. Lorne Ahrens. Several officers and civilians were also wounded in the opening moments of the attack.
As officers rushed to rescue the injured and secure the area, Johnson moved through downtown, firing at additional officers.
Officers Killed During Pursuit
Johnson later engaged responding DART officers before making his way toward El Centro College. DART officers Misty McBride and Lee Cannon were wounded, along with Dallas Police Sgt. Giovanni Wells.
During the attack, DART Officer Brent Thompson was fatally shot after Johnson maneuvered around his position. Authorities have said Thompson’s actions likely diverted the gunman’s attention away from other officers, potentially preventing additional deaths.
Johnson then entered El Centro College, where he fatally shot Dallas Police Sgt. Michael Smith and wounded DART Officer Jesus Retana from a second-floor position overlooking Elm Street,
By the end of the attack, five officers had been killed:
- Dallas Police Officer Michael Krol
- Dallas Police Officer Patrick Zamarripa
- Dallas Police Senior Cpl. Lorne Ahrens
- Dallas Police Sgt. Michael Smith
- DART Officer Brent Thompson
Four of the nine injured officers were from the Dallas Police Department, three were from DART, and two were from El Centro College.
Hours-Long Standoff Ends With Robot
Police tracked Johnson inside El Centro College, where an hours-long standoff followed.
According to then-Dallas Police Chief David Brown, Johnson told negotiators he was angry over recent police shootings involving Black men and wanted to kill white people, particularly white police officers. He also falsely claimed explosives had been placed throughout downtown Dallas.
During the confrontation, officers and Johnson exchanged more than 200 rounds of gunfire.
After determining other tactical options posed too great a risk, Brown authorized the use of a bomb disposal robot carrying approximately one pound of C-4 explosives.
At about 1:28 a.m. on July 8, officers remotely detonated the device, killing Johnson and ending the attack. The operation marked the first known use of a police robot carrying explosives to intentionally kill a suspect in the United States.
Lasting Impact on Dallas
The ambush was the deadliest attack on U.S. law enforcement since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and remains the second-deadliest targeted attack on law enforcement officers in U.S. history.
In the days following the shooting, thousands gathered at memorial services across Dallas, including an interfaith service attended by then-President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center.
The city has continued to honor the fallen officers each year, and their names are permanently inscribed on the Dallas Police Memorial wall.
“The events of July 7, 2016, forever changed the Dallas Police Department,” former Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia said in a previous statement. “There is not a day that goes by that we do not think of our fallen. Each day we put on our uniform and our badge we honor and carry on their legacy by serving our city with respect, dignity and fairness. We will never forget.”
On Tuesday morning, a Dallas police squad car and a DART police vehicle were parked next to a memorial outside DPD headquarters that was unveiled in 2019 to commemorate the anniversary of the ambush that claimed so many lives and impacted countless others. Downtown Dallas will be lit up in blue lights at dusk to honor the fallen officers, NBC 5 DFW reported.
Dallas police will also hold a ceremony at 5 p.m. just outside police headquarters to honor the four fallen DPD officers, while DART will honor the life and service of Thompson at a 1 p.m. event at DART Police Department headquarters.
Ten years later, the July 7 ambush continues to shape conversations about public safety, police-community relations, officer wellness, and security at public demonstrations while serving as a solemn reminder of the sacrifices made by the five officers who lost their lives protecting others.
Provided by Dallas Express
