# Shots fired at police officers at Dallas anti-police protest **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 8, 2016, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shots-fired-at-police-officers-at-dallas-anti-police-protest/759353 "2016-07-08T02:18:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shots-fired-at-police-officers-at-dallas-anti-police-protest/759353/21 "2016-07-08T08:51:25Z")
All this sounds much more premeditated than “angry protestors”, especially the sniping and possible use of explosives. I was under the impression that this protest was relatively spontaneous, triggered by recent events. If so, were the culprits just waiting for a large scale event like this that would require police presence with guns and bombs ready? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shots-fired-at-police-officers-at-dallas-anti-police-protest/759353/22 "2016-07-08T08:56:24Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Nothing in your own cite refers to the event as such; why did you? From the first sentence in the article: “at a protest of officer-involved shootings” ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shots-fired-at-police-officers-at-dallas-anti-police-protest/759353/23 "2016-07-08T09:09:43Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I see I’m the first person who’ll call out the OP for a biased and false thread title, eh. > > **dalej42** , why did you call this an anti-police protest when it was not, in fact, an anti-police protest? > > Nothing in your own cite refers to the event as such; why did you? Thank you. I found the title a bit irritating. > [@Leaper](#): > > All this sounds much more premeditated than “angry protestors”, especially the sniping and possible use of explosives. > > I was under the impression that this protest was relatively spontaneous, triggered by recent events. If so, were the culprits just waiting for a large scale event like this that would require police presence with guns and bombs ready? This is the question that has been burning in my mind. This all sounds very well planned for a rather spontaneous event. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shots-fired-at-police-officers-at-dallas-anti-police-protest/759353/24 "2016-07-08T09:20:07Z")
There are reports that the cornered suspect has been killed. It’s possible another shooter is still on the loose. President Obama is about to speak from Poland. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shots-fired-at-police-officers-at-dallas-anti-police-protest/759353/25 "2016-07-08T09:20:26Z")
The KDFW live feed is saying the shooter holed up in a parking building has killed himself. President Obama (in Poland) is making a statement. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shots-fired-at-police-officers-at-dallas-anti-police-protest/759353/26 "2016-07-08T09:39:03Z")
> [@KellyCriterion](#): > > “If everyone had a gun, we wouldn’t see mass shootings”. Busted? Ignored. This won’t seriously change the politics around guns in this country. It won’t even displace the “good guy with a gun” talking point. Some things are too ingrained. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shots-fired-at-police-officers-at-dallas-anti-police-protest/759353/27 "2016-07-08T09:53:40Z")
No new posts on the NRA Twitter feed in twelve hours. Their last tweet endorsed Marco Rubio for the Senate. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shots-fired-at-police-officers-at-dallas-anti-police-protest/759353/28 "2016-07-08T10:10:47Z")
My early profiling wag from watching this all night, unable to sleep, is that the suspect(s) went there prepared for a rioting crowd besieged by riot police and were disappointed and even more enraged by a peaceful protest and police response. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shots-fired-at-police-officers-at-dallas-anti-police-protest/759353/29 "2016-07-08T11:04:29Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I see I’m the first person who’ll call out the OP for a biased and false thread title, eh. > > **dalej42** , why did you call this an anti-police protest when it was not, in fact, an anti-police protest? > > Nothing in your own cite refers to the event as such; why did you? > [@Grrr](#): > > Thank you. I found the title a bit irritating. He could be taking his cue from some media outlets in these early hours. I’ve seen at least one say the same thing in its headline, that it was an anti-police protest. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shots-fired-at-police-officers-at-dallas-anti-police-protest/759353/30 "2016-07-08T11:17:30Z")
The protest was against, or in response to, recent shootings by police in Louisiana and Minnesota, according to everything I have read. To call it anti-police seems like a partial misrepresentation, not a total lie. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shots-fired-at-police-officers-at-dallas-anti-police-protest/759353/31 "2016-07-08T11:24:43Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > My early profiling wag from watching this all night, unable to sleep, is that the suspect(s) went there prepared for a rioting crowd besieged by riot police and were disappointed and even more enraged by a peaceful protest and police response. It’ll be interesting to find out what the motives of the shooters were - whether they were virulently anti-police or were hoping to stir up shit by killing cops during a riot to put the blame on the rioters. Or maybe they were just assholes. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shots-fired-at-police-officers-at-dallas-anti-police-protest/759353/32 "2016-07-08T11:32:38Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > It’ll be interesting to find out what the motives of the shooters were - whether they were virulently anti-police or were hoping to stir up shit by killing cops during a riot to put the blame on the rioters. Or maybe they were just assholes. Well the last part is not in question. They may indeed have been opportunistic shit-stirrers who had expected a riot as has happened a couple of times. Or as I mention in another thread, more deliberate provocateurs seeking to perpetuate further hostility to “fan the flames”. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shots-fired-at-police-officers-at-dallas-anti-police-protest/759353/33 "2016-07-08T11:33:10Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Has the entire US gone insane this week? I know people are upset by the two black men killed by police in Louisiana and Minnesota. But ambushing and murdering Dallas police officers isn’t the answer. No, the “entire US” has not gone insane, the “entire US” was not involved in shooting police last night. In fact, everyone but a few outliers are pretty damn appalled at the events. Up until now the protesters have been entirely peaceful. There are some people who don’t like peace and want to upset the apple cart. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shots-fired-at-police-officers-at-dallas-anti-police-protest/759353/34 "2016-07-08T11:54:47Z")
All, I wanted to jump in and pre-emptively remind everyone to keep this thread from devolving into a generalized debate about BLM, gun control laws, LEO, etc. Let’s keep things civil, too. This is, by any metric, a horrible situation and feelings are running understandably high. But let’s keep this thread on track. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shots-fired-at-police-officers-at-dallas-anti-police-protest/759353/35 "2016-07-08T11:56:15Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > He could be taking his cue from some media outlets in these early hours. I’ve seen at least one say the same thing in its headline, that it was an anti-police protest. Or possibly the chants of “Fuck the police.” ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shots-fired-at-police-officers-at-dallas-anti-police-protest/759353/36 "2016-07-08T12:28:28Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Or possibly the chants of “Fuck the police.” Are you claiming that what was going on in Dallas? Because all the reports I’ve heard are that it was a peaceful protest. So much so that some of the officers were posing and taking pictures with the protesters. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shots-fired-at-police-officers-at-dallas-anti-police-protest/759353/37 "2016-07-08T12:34:28Z")
Maybe they just find guys in uniform really sexy. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shots-fired-at-police-officers-at-dallas-anti-police-protest/759353/38 "2016-07-08T12:44:19Z")
I just got the Morning Joe podcast. They pointed out the local police asked people not to live-stream video showing their positions. This is much like the “radio silence” asked for after the Brussels attacks. I am still very impressed by the new instant-posting-of-video apps. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shots-fired-at-police-officers-at-dallas-anti-police-protest/759353/39 "2016-07-08T13:05:09Z")
Well, fuck. This does not help. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shots-fired-at-police-officers-at-dallas-anti-police-protest/759353/40 "2016-07-08T13:11:31Z")
It gets worse … - The Dallas police chief said an attacker told authorities “he was upset about the recent police shootings” and “wanted to kill white people, especially white officers.”\* [Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/07/08/like-a-little-war-snipers-shoot-11-police-officers-during-dallas-protest-march-killing-five/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_mm-dallas-1120pm-6a%3Ahomepage%2Fstory) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shots-fired-at-police-officers-at-dallas-anti-police-protest/759353.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shots-fired-at-police-officers-at-dallas-anti-police-protest/759353.md?page=3)