Dallas police shootings: live updates

AFPCopyright: AFP

Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson said tensions between police and minority groups is caused by the criminalisation of drugs in the US.

The root is the war on drugs, I believe. Police knocking down doors, shooting first,” Mr Johnson told Politico. “If you are (black and) arrested in a drug-related crime, there is four times more likelihood of going to prison than if you are white. And shooting is part of the same phenomenon.”

“That’s the common thread. Shootings are occurring with black people, black people are dying. This is an escalation.”

AFPCopyright: AFP

The Baltimore Sun's David Zurawik writes: 

I thought, after seeing the arrest of Freddie Gray and the deaths of Eric Garner and Walter Scott, that the citizen videos of black men dying in police custody might change us for the better. ...

But not any more, after watching the grotesque deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile and the chaos and slaughter that left five police officers dead in Dallas this week.

Read more here

The presumptive Democratic nominee is speaking on CNN.

"Too many African-Americans have been killed in encounters with police," she said. "I will call for white people to put ourselves in the shoes of those African-American families who fear every time their children go somewhere."

White people are the ones who must listen to "legitimate cries" from fellow African-American citizens, she said.

"We need more love and kindness," she said.

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

The shooting deaths of five police officers in Dallas have prompted many of the country's largest's departments to change the way they operate - at least temporarily. 

“In light of the tragic events across the country this week, including the unspeakable police assassinations in Dallas, CPD has designated that all officers must be paired up with their partners to increase visibility and strengthen officer safety,” Chicago police spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement.

Both the Boston and New York police departments are also advising officers to work in pairs.

ABC News reported that the New York Police Department sent a memo urging its officers to "remain vigilant at all times while in uniform".

BBCCopyright: BBC

So far in 2016, 56 US law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty, 26 of whom were killed by gunfire, according to data from the Officer Down Memorial Page.

However, experts say annual totals can be misleading.

David Harris, a University of Pittsburgh law professor, told the BBC we cannot predict how many police killings will take place through the remainder of 2016, which makes it difficult to determine if police killings are on the rise.

"Trends are up and down year to year," he says.

For example, 2015 marked a record low with 16 officers killed by gunfire during this period, which makes 2016 look particularly high in comparison, says Seth Stoughton, a former policeman and University of South Carolina law professor.

More on this from the BBC's Courtney Subramanian here.

Quote Message: The first rule in law enforcement is to make it home at the end of your shift. That doesn't make me want to go out and build long-term relationships with people. from Seth Stoughton Former police officer

The first rule in law enforcement is to make it home at the end of your shift. That doesn't make me want to go out and build long-term relationships with people.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

The New York Daily News is reporting that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump sought to speak to New York City police officers on Friday, but Police Commissioner Bill Bratton declined the offer.

"Our interest is staying out of the politics of the moment, and not to provide photo ops," Mr Bratton said. "If Mr Trump wants to speak to me, I would be happy to brief him on what we’re doing. If Senator Clinton wants to speak to me, I would very happy to brief her on what we’re doing. But we are not in the business of providing photo ops for our candidates.”  

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One civilian who was injured in the Dallas shootings is Shetamia Taylor, who was shot while shielding her four sons. She is recovering in a hospital.

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Newt Gingrich, a potential running mate for Donald Trump, did a Facebook Live conversation about the Dallas shootings with CNN commentator Van Jones. 

He said white Americans don't understand what it's like to be black, and that you have to raise your children differently than white parents.

Quote Message: “It's more dangerous to be black in America. You’re substantially more likely to be in a situation where police don’t respect you" from Newt Gingrich Former House speaker

“It's more dangerous to be black in America. You’re substantially more likely to be in a situation where police don’t respect you"

From the BBC's Tara McKelvey:

Gunman Micah Xavier Johnson lived with his mother in the Dallas suburb of Mesquite. The BBC's Laura Bicker is in Mesquite looking for more information about the man who killed five police officers and wounded seven others.

APCopyright: AP

An emotional Texas Lt Governor Dan Patrick blamed Black Lives Matters protesters for "creating situations like we saw last night" during television interview on Friday.

"All those protesters last night, they turned around and ran the other way expecting the men and women in blue to protect them. What hypocrites!" Mr Patrick told Fox News.

"I do blame people on social media with their hatred toward police," he said. "I do blame former Black Lives Matter protests.  ... This has to stop."

The New York Times and other outlets are reporting that Micah Xavier Johnson appears to be the only gunman in the mass shooting that killed five police officers and wounded seven others. Earlier reports indicated that were multiple snipers and three other people were brought into custody. 

Dallas Police have not released any additional information about the number of snipers, but Chief David Brown mentioned to "suspects" at a vigil in downtown Dallas on Friday afternoon. 

"This was a well-planned, well-thought-out, evil tragedy by these suspects,"  he said.

"The hashtag surges with each new case of a police killing of a black person that is seen as unjust, usually after a video emerges. This week it surged twice - with the fatal shootings of Philando Castile in Minnesota and Alton Sterling in Louisiana. Each time it surges, mostly peaceful protesters come out in US cities to declare that "Black Lives Matter"...

It's such a powerful rallying cry that some have controversially likened it to a reborn US civil rights movement. That's what was happening in Dallas on Thursday night - a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest - until suddenly, it was anything but. 

The sniper fire at that protest eventually led to the murder of five Dallas police officers and the wounding of seven more. Two civilians at the protest were also wounded. And now, the phrase Black Lives Matter is suddenly on everyone's lips - and not in the way its supporters would like."

Read more from BBC Trending on the meaning of Black Lives Matter.

Popular US rapper Snoop Dogg is outside of the Los Angeles Police Department protesting against police killings of black men.