see you at 6:00. welcome to a special edition of "world news tonight". america in crisis. ambush here in dallas. new images coming in of that deadly assault. and more details about the gunman motivated by hate. an army vet once accused of sexual harassment by a female soldier. inside his home, investigators discovering an arsenal. and now questions about the robot bomb used to take him out. the new tactic raising concerns tonight. clashes at a breaking point. protesters by the thousands take to the streets demanding an end to police shootings. tonight, the attorney defending this officer speaks out. why he now says race was not a factor. police on high alert. officers targeted new rules to stay safe as they patrol the streets. and the growing memorial to the fallen five.

witnesses coming forward with stunning acts of courage under fire. this is a special edition of abc "world news tonight".. reporting tonight, cecelia vega. >> outside police headquarters in dallas. you can see right here behind me a police car covered in flowers. a city in mourning and at the center of a country in crisis. tonight fbi crime scene investigators are gather evidence at the site where the officers were ambushed. five losing their lives. investigators have made new discoveries at the home of the gunman who wanted to kill police because of their race. new details of his trouble military record as tensions between police and protesters reach a boiling point. outrage over officer involved slootings. in phoenix police resort to

pepper spray. officers investigating another threat against law enforcement. we begin with abc's matt gutman from the crime scene. >> a threat at police headquarters in dallas. not even 48 hours after those five officers lost their lives. a s.w.a.t. team deployed to the force where there are reports of a serious and credible threat to officers. earlier today fbi agents scouring downtown dallas for evidence. investigators asking the public for relevant video showing that per session on thursday that turned panic. >> oh [ bleep ]. >> people barricading the door at a mcdonald's and this man was right there. >> when that first officer went down led me to believe the shots were from an elevated angle. >> the shooting lasted minutes and the standoff hours. s.w.a.t. teams on the second floor of this college.

zeeing in on johnson. finally sending in a robot with a bomb killing him. ten miles away. agents hold evidence from the suspect's home friday. johnson was an army vet returning from a tour in afghanistan in 2014 having battled allegations of sexual harassment against an officer. his lawyer told abc news an employer said he worked at a company called touch of kindness providing home care to disabled people. johnson cared for his little brother. >> the suspect stated he wants to kill white people especially white officers. >> his facebook page revealed some rage and liked the page which said kill everything blue that moves. tonight the evidence scattered over a huge area. the shooter was 100 yards away and able to hit the squad car. bullet holes here and down there and on the other side of the car, actually managed to shoot out the tires. as dallas tries to stitch itself back together tensions remain high. in an interview with the transit police chief a young man

approached making that shooting motion into the chief's back. later at the police headquarters an anecdote. >> you have been -- your name tag has fallen off. >> reporter: there were hugs a few hours ago and there are s.w.a.t. teams. very tense right outside the dallas police headquarters. the s.w.a.t. teams i'm told are still in the garage scanning it for a suspect. this is the last thing this city needed. it is still very much on edge. >> thank you. tensions here are making headlines around the world. the government of the bahamas is advising its people especially young men to exercise caution when visiting the u.s. more than 90% of bahamians are black. those tensions once again on display in phoenix. this protester facing off in riot gear. tonight the lawyer for the police officer who killed an african-american driver now says race did not play a role. here's abc's gio benitez. >> reporter: tensions at a

boiling point across the country tonight. in baton rouge one officer drawing his gun but not firing. thousands protesters pouring on to the atlanta street blocking traffic. in phoenix this scene. protesters and police squaring off. officers using tear gas. to disperse the demonstrators. one protester grabbing the cannister and flinging it back. in upstate new york police arresting more than 70 protesters. the protests over those deadly shootings of two black men by police in 24 hours. on tuesday night that killing caught on camera, sterling losing his life. on wednesday philando castile shot in the driver's seat of his car. in minnesota after two cops pulled him over. tonight we are hearing from the attorney of that officer at the center of the minnesota shooting. his lawyer telling abc news he

is deeply saddened for the family and love ones of philando castile. tragically, the use of force became necessary in reacting to the actions of mr. castile. this heartbreaking incident had nothing to do with race, it had to do with the presence of a gun. at demonstrations in minnesota a call for change. >> we're serious. we need a change. before even more things start to happen. worse things. >> the officers involved from this police department are now on paid leave as this investigation rolls on. this as police here and across the country expect even more protests. cecelia. >> thank you. now to the grief in dallas as a community mourns the loss of five of their own. here they are. you see their faces. they're fathers, husbands, veterans and phillip mena tells us about who they were and the families they left behind. >> reporter: tonight rick's only comfort telling his son's story. >> that's in kuwait.

officer patrick zamarripa leaving the military to become a police officer. >> we were so proud of him. >> his little girl now without her dad. >> officer brent thompson remembered by his kids and fellow officers as a hero. >> he was running through the danger when other people run away from the danger. >> he was married two weeks ago. his wife also an officer. >> she's having a real hard time. and understandably so. you know, because we thought he was going to make it. >> senior corporal laurel ahrens known for his crooked smile. >> this is -- he's a big guy, big guy, invincible. >> and officer michael krol described as a big gentle giant. >> it's numbing. you know, you just can't accept it. >> michael smith, a 26 year veteran of the force and father of two, seven more shot but alive tonight including officer misty mcbride.

her daughter with this message to mom. >> i love you and i'm glad you're here. >> reporter: tonight two people including officer mcbride are being treated here at the hospital. cecelia. >> phillip thank you. one photo caught our attention today. these images going viral. an officer under fire protecting citizens as the shots rang out nearby. i spoke to the man, a photographer who was taking pictures of the march. roger moore tells me what he told me more about what he would say to this officer if he could talk to him again. you're on the ground. these officers are all around you. >> and the officer in the photo, a few minutes after that, he plants himself in front of us over the hood. he stands up. he turns to me and says i'm going to stand, we're going to move.

he stands up, has his shield from me. i stand behind him and we step out. >> to him you want to say what? >> thank you for coming up and being there for me and i kept thinking if i just -- i'm just going to wait and whatever he says i'm going to do what he says and i'll be okay. and thank you for giving me that confidence. >> mr. moore's brother and nephew are police officers and he tells me he now has an entirely new appreciation for the dangers police face. we want to turn to the tactics police use in dallas to end the gunman siege. a robot like this used to stop a bomb threat but this may be the first time a police department used this weapon to kill a suspect and not everyone agrees they should have. here's abc's ron claiborne. >> reporter: the time had come to end the bloody standoff. police decided to send in that robot armed with explosives.

>> the suspect is deceased as a result of the detonating of the bomb. >> reporter: hundreds of police and fire departments have robots like this. many provided by the military and use them to detonate devices. >> reporter: or, outfitted with camera and microphones, to talk barricaded suspects down. dallas was the first time one was used to kill. >> i've never heard of it actually occurring. i've heard of s.w.a.t. teams practicing to using a robot to take explosives into an actual location. >> reporter: the obvious advantage -- it avoids risking officers lives. >> you may see more robots in general used to keep police out of potential harms way. >> but an explosion powerful enough to be lethal has its own risks. damage to the surrounding area and anyone nearby. and some critics warn it could lead police to turn to the robot to kill instead of taking the time to resolve a standoff peacefully.

law enforcement experts refute that. saying a weapons-bearing robot would likely only be used once suspects are so dangerous they would have to be taken out one way or another. cecelia. >> thank you. next to some very hard facts. although police officers use force very rarely it is three times more likely to happen in encounters with african-americans but also the number of officers killed on duty, 26 so far this year. at the same time last year, 18. abc's kayna whitworth reports on the officers who live with that threat every day. >> reporter: tonight -- a missouri police officer in critical condition. ambushed at a traffic stop. in tennessee a gunman opening fire, hitting one officer, and killing a civilian. in both shootings the alleged gunmen were black. investigators say they claimed to be troubled by the recent shootings by officers. police now in the crosshairs. tonight many under orders to patrol in pairs.

jason, a veteran in orange county, his department also changing tactics. he now wears a tactical bullet-proof vest outside of his uniform. you said because of what happened in dallas and the threat against police officers right now you might do things differently today. >> i want to be more careful. >> have you ever felt targeted because you're a police officer? >> yes. a few times. my life has been in danger and i've been fearful. i'm not going to lie. i'm human. stuff scares me too. i don't want to die. but i'll do whatever it takes to protect the people of this community. >> officers sworn to an oath whether on patrol or in the streets of dallas running toward the gunfire. kayna whitworth, abc news, los angeles. >> this week's events exposed a racial divide and has also sparked a national conversation in households all across our country.

"nightline" anchor has more on the talk so many parents are having with their children. >> today in dallas somber faces and outstretched hands. chris and tina brought their three children out to show support for the dallas pd. when they get home they'll resume what black america has long referred to as the talk. >> now we're telling them, you know, just kind of basics, keep your hands where he can see them. no sudden movements. >> 15-year-old chris gets an earful. gets his driver's license soon. >> if i don't listen and will understand, i could potentially be one of those in a video. >> it's the talk laura kellogg has never had with her 23-year-old daughter kate because she never thought it was necessary. >> kind of looked in the bible. you know, i mean, i don't know whether to be embarrassed about it or thankful. >> in the age of social media the avalanche of disturbing images that bubbles burst for all of america. in a new universe, a new kitchen table for the talk.

facebook. >> dad, why are cops killing kids? >> god forbid i have a talk with you. >> the talk is about surviving and it's about navigating society. chris has had to explain to his children why since they moved into a white neighborhood in dallas he's been pulled over by the cops three times. >> the taillight is out but when i got home it was not out. it could be they didn't expect to see me in that neighborhood. >> my friend byron joins me in dallas. this talk has been so important to have but it's especially an urgent one to have right now. >> absolutely. we have had flash points in our nation before and endured. we'll endure again. great to have you here. great reporting this week. much more ahead on "world news tonight." the race for the white house, the auditions under way and the name on donald trump's short list who said today it's not quite a done deal.

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to the race for the white house, now the ambush and two deadly police shootings in one week suspending the campaign trail at least temporarily. it is on to the upcoming conventions and that means the pressure is on to pick a running mate. here's abc's david wright. >> in cleveland workers are transforming king james home court into the stage for donald trump's coronation. the candidate busy deciding who his running mate will be. >> we have ten people that we're looking at very seriously. ♪ money, money, money >> normally vetting vp's is a closely guarded secret but trump's process looks more like an election edition of the apprentice.

some of his top picks auditioning out on the trail. >> he's smart, he's tough, he gets it. >> former house speaker newt gingrich is clearly interested. >> i think it would be hard not to find a way to serve the country. >> today gingrich told the ap it's not a total slam-dunk. hillary clinton meanwhile is vetting candidates the old- fashioned way behind closed doors, considering castro and massachusetts senator elizabeth warren. clinton gets to wait for trump to show his cards first. >> before the convention. >> trump says there are names that haven't been talked about yet. just today abc news learned he's vetting retired lieutenant general michael flynn. he may not be a household name but he has strong national security credentials. cecelia. >> okay. david, thank you. our colleague martha raddatz will interview lieutenant

general michael flynn on a special "this week" from dallas tomorrow morning. but when we come back news tonight about the notorious druglord el chapo. authorities tackling the rumor, did he really escape for a third time? and serena williams with a reason to celebrate at wimbledon. one title isn't enough. why winning is twice as nice.

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hitting the ground in tennessee. giant hail pounding homes in michigan and in edmond, oklahoma, a lightning strike burns this house to the ground. the threat stretching from the northern plains to the northeast with possible tornados damaging winds and more hail. a bizarre headline about the world's most notorious druglord. mexican authorities tweeting this photo prove that el chapo did not escape for a third time. there he is sitting at a table still in prison. el chapo is awaiting extradition to the u.s. and a milestone for serena williams winning her seventh singles championship at wimbledon tying the grand slam singles record with 22 championships. serena and her sister venus won the women's doubles titles. when we come back, what we have seen right here on the streets of dallas. a community uniting, determined to heal starting with one simple act.

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yet, even in all this sadness, all this anger, there is this constant, love is greater than hate. for every tear, a hug and so much more. >> thank you. thank you. >> little khloe serving up lemonade and more hugs free for first responders. >> they save our country. so that's why i did that. >> they mean the world to us. it shows that, you know, everybody is here for us. i appreciate it. we're here for them. >> and we're here for you dallas, the nation is here for you. thank you for joining us. "gma" and a special edition of "this week" in the morning. i'm cecelia vega. we leave you with this image, two children and the promise of hope from the youngest generation. have a good evening. good night.

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