a senior law enforcement official tells nbc news he is identified as micah xavier johnson, 25 years old the dallas area, according to a senior law enforcement official. again, that name, micah xavier johnson. 25 years old. we don't have any more information on him at this time. however, as we have been reporting, the police chief says this morning that he told the negotiators that he wanted to do this to kill white police officers. he says he told investigators that he was acting alone, but that he was upset about the recent police shootings in other parts of the country, and he was targeting white police officers. again, a senior law enforcement official tells nbc news that the gunman has just been identified as micah xavier johnson, 25 years old, from the dallas area. >> and so gabe, while working to find out more information now that we have this name and age, let's talk about the fact that he said he was working alone. police still took into custody three other potential suspects. so how did eye-witnesses describe the chaotic scene of gunfire because aren't there initial reports tha

dallas, as well. >> can you ask chief spiller, we have the identity of the one suspect in micah xavier johnson. is it he believe it's just one shooter, or does he think there were other shooters, that there were multiple on-scene? >> reporter: the shooter's name has been released, 25-year-old micah xavier johnson. dallas area resident, apparently. based on what you saw and based on what you've heard, do you think that he acted alone, or do you think that he had to have had some help? >> you know, i really can't address that, because the investigation is being handled by dallas. i do have some officers that aare assisting them with that, especially where our officers were involved. so i really can't speak to that until i get a chance to get back to my office and talk with my people. and i'm sure i'll have an opportunity to engage with chief brown, as we normally do, with kind of after-action reports, to see what happens. so i really can't speak to how he acted. >> reporter: we know that roughly 20 square block radius here in downtown dallas continues to be shut down. what precautions are you gu

. >> meanwhile we're learning more about the dallas gunman, micah xavier johnson and possible plans for a more widespread attack. >> reporter: federal investigators combed the 20 square block crime scene in downtown dallas as new details emerged about micah xavier johnson's sinister plan much larger than first thought. >> the suspect had been practicing explosive detonations and that the materials was such that it was large enough to have devastating effects throughout our city. >> reporter: in an interview on the mystery. he scrawled thelers rb in his own blood on the walls of the parking garage. during the two hour standoff johnson taunted police negotiators and would only speak to black officers. chief brown said he had no choice but to deliver a robot with a bomb. >> we saved lives by making decisions. >> reporter: investigators are going through his writings. >> this person was talking ahead, talked about shoot and move tactics. that's important because we had information on the scene from witnesses. >> reporter: at the home he shared with his mother detectives found a personal ars

the mayor of dallas saying that the gunman 25-year-old micah xavier johnson that he octobe d acted alonemed with two weapons when he opened fire on police as protesters marched through the streets. during a standoff that went on for hours, johnson told negotiators that he was infuriated at the deaths of african-american men at the hands of police officers. and that he wanted to kill white people, especially officers. and was detonated by a bomb in a robot. after the deaths of police officers in state of louisiana and minnesota. the fiancee of philando castile captured those moments after his shooting in a suburb in st. paul, minnesota. a live facebook posting that many people saw on social media. she said that a police officer shot castile after pulling him over for a broken taillight when he reached for his wallet asking for valid identification. his mother said she doesn't understand why this happened. >> i did everything right as a parent. i made sure my kids understood the difference in being law abide i abiding. and that the police were there to help. i never once in my life thought

this is the home of micah xavier johnson, neighbors saying he lived there with his mother. neighbors also saying he seemed like a bit of a recluse. they would see him sometimes at the post office or the mailbox but that he kept to himself mostly. another neighbor suggesting that he had seen micah johnson with other white people at other times but certainly the indications from the man on the left-hand side of your screen to the officers who were negotiating with him before he was taken out, before he was killed, that his intention was entirely racially motivated, to take out white police officers in particular and white people. it should also be noted there was a technique that was used to actually neutralize this mass murderer. it was a technique that we have never heard of before and has never used before. a robot was dispatched with an extended arm and on the end of it to blow up micah johnson to end his life before he could end any others. let's go back to evan perez. i would like you to unpack a little bit about what we have just heard from the head of the doj, evan. >

a shooter now identified as 25-year-old micah xavier johnson opened fire at the end of what had been y's police chief saying johnson, quote,

as we've been reporting, the shooter at this point, police say 25-year-old micah xavier johnson, jim confirming a short time ago that he is an army veteran. at this point we don't know a great deal more than that. other than he did serve apparently in afghanistan, november 2013 until july of 2014. he was apparently in the army, we're told from march of 2009 until april of 2015. and received a number of awards in afghanistan as well. i spoke to his senior law enforcement official on the ground here in dallas a couple of hours ago, and he told me that the thinking at this point, and this would sort of jive with what we're hearing in terms of military background perhaps, the thinking at this point was that based on the precision of the shots, this was someone who in addition to having planned this out for some time, this was someone who knew how to use a weapon very well. the senior law enforcement official on the ground telling me that this was a guy who knew how to pick off police officers which is exactly what was done here last night. one of them, outstanding questions, brian, those

ring out more officers rushed in, cornering and ultimately killing a suspect, 25-year-old micah xavier johnson, using a bomb robot to detonate controlled explosive. johnson, an army reservist spent time in afghanistan told police he wanted to kill white officers in the wake of recent police involved shootings. authorities say they believe johnson was the lone gunman but may have had help carrying out the attack. >> we won't rest until we bring every one involved to justice. >> reporter: justice and healing that thousands are looking for here. many gathering for a noon prayer service not far from the scene of the killing spree. >> we will not shy away from the very real fact that we as a city, as a state, as a nation, are struggling with racial issues. >> a struggle that exploded in the deadliest attack on law enforcement since 9/11. jay gray, nbc news, dallas. >> thank you. before he was killed johnson told a hostage negotiator that he was, quote, upset about black lives matter, the movement was back in the headlines this week after two officer-involved shootings, one in louisiana, the other i

the name of the gunman, he is 25-year-old micah xavier johnson. we're told he is from the dallas area. police chief telling us he doesn't want to give us much information because there's a possibility there could be other people involved in the shooting still out there. he says if that possibility exists, he will not rest until he find everyone involved. live in dallas, sarah rosario. >>> loretta lynch in the last few hours addressed the sniper murders of those five police officers killed in dallas. she talked about the deaths of the two black men at the hands of police which prompted the protest in dallas last night. on the left-hand side, alton sterling in louisiana, which is the subject of a civil rights investigation. and on the right, philando castile's death in which her office is assisting. loretta lynch reiterated the dallas police chief's call for an end to divisiveness between police and the citizens they are charged with protecting. >> we must continue working to build trust between communities and law enforcement. we must continue work

the suspect, 25-year-old micah xavier johnson, a former army reserve soldier. orities telling fox news they believe johnson acted alone. officials are now telling fox that multiple firearms have been recovered by authorities. one assault rifle-style long gun and one handgun. david: we're going to get the press conference at the top of the hour at 6:00 p.m. eastern time, 5:00 p.m. central time. we should have the governor of texas, greg abbott there. dallas police department will provide an update on the shooting. whether or not we're sure, emac, there is a lot of questions about this, how could one gunman against well-armed policeman manage to kill and wound so many. >> police chief and dr. king have the right message. unity. david: indeed. "risk & reward" starts right now >> [gunfire] [sirens] [shouting] [gunfire] >> get back! get back! [gunfire] [sirens] [gunfire] deirdre: five police officers murdered, seven others injured. some critically. it is the deadliest attack on u.s. law enfortsment since

micah xavier johnson was wearing body army r armor as he opened fire. he is an army reservist who served in afghanistan. at his home where the 25-year-old lived with his parents, investigators found multiple weapons, including bomb-making materials and ammunition. president obama has called the attack despicable. he's cutting his european trip short and will visit dallas next week. the protests continue across the country. this is the scene in atlanta. officers are told to stay vigilant and professional during a huge black lives matter protest. hundreds of people, you can see them there lining the streets. you see the thin blue line of officers and behind the officers all of the squad cars essentially blocking the protesters from entering an atlanta freeway. you can see hundreds of protesters below. as of now it is peaceful and as of right now they are being prevented from entering that freeway. >>> also activity in san francisco. a live look at justin herman plaza. demonstrators are gathering to rally against police brutality here. this was planned bef

we're learning more about the shooter, 25 years old, micah xavier johnson. he lived in a two-story home with his mother. he served in afghanistan, received ribbons and medals for his service. neighbors say they noticed him in a military uniform performing what appears to be tactical drills in his backyard. yesterday authorities at his home and took out several items, ballistic vest and journal that describe combat tactics. authorities do say he appears to be a lone gunman at this point. multiple law enforcement tell nbc news he does not appear to have any ties to domestic extremist groups. as for why he did this, craig, the conversation or the negotiations had with police on the scene, expressed his hatred for white police officers, felt sad about recent police shootings. he said he did it because he wanted to kill white officers. at one point he said he didn't want to talk with white police officers as part of his negotiations authorities felt they need to go in there with that robot and detonate that bomb. >> this was a hate crime, pure and simple. what el

micah xavier johnson, an army reservist. johnson was killed when police sent in an explosives-bearing robot after hours of negotiations. he had no criminal record. he had been stockpiling weapons and bomb-making materials inside his home. meanwhile, the families of johnson's victims are looking to make sense of their loss. >> they met me, took me into a room. and i thought maybe he was in surgery on or something. >> and i asked is he all right? he looked at me and started getting red and he said no. >> you never expect it to happen to your family, senseless stuff. >> more unrest throughout the country overnight. demonstrations in louisiana, pennsylvania. police reported no injuries neuer property damages. in phoenix, arizona, police used tear gas and pepper spray on a crowd. let's head right now to dallas. that is where craig melvin has the latest on the fallout from these shootings. craig, with an early good morning to you many let's talk about what we are seeing on the ground. how are people coping in dallas? >> you know,

the one who died is identified as micah xavier johnson of dallas.ther two are not cooperating with police. they have r activists in our area are calling for a peaceful demonstration saying fighting violence with violence is wrong. police across the country are sharing their support as well. here in d.c., chief cathy lanier said they are also making changes to protect officers today. >>> you may have been hearing all about the water resistance samsung cell phone. well, according to some reports, it actually isn't waterproof. apparently the problem is limited to the galaxy s-7 active model. the south dakotandard s-7 and s models have the same claims of water resistance and pass the testing. >>> a fairfax homeowner hired a local painting company to spruce up her fence but then the painter wouldn't take her phone calls. when the paint started to bubble and peel, she contacted the nbc4 response team. >> reporter: irene, frustrations are bubbling over because of this and this, and check this one out too. it looks but the problem is, it was just painted. >

we do know his name is micah xavier johnson.e's 25 years old from the dallas area and police not releasing much more information because they're worried about other possible people that could be involved. >> thank you so much sarah. meanwhile, twitter is talking to the nba, major league soccer and turner broadcasting in a bid to stream more major sporting events. >> kayla caught up with adam a few weeks ago and he did hint a new streaming deal was in the works. >> first on the user experience, the consumer experience for fans is going to be incredible. we can't wait to show it coming this fall. it's going to be incredible because it's what you already love about watching games and watching it with twitter. i think that you're going to come for the live game experience on thursday night and stay for the conversation. all the tweets around it. we do control some of the ad inventory in the games as well so for marketers we have been talking about what's possible there. we have seen incredible demand. thursday night also is an incre

again, 25-year-old micah xavier johnson. officials do believe that he acted alone.he folks that ran for cover last night. were you here during the protest? >> i was here during the rally as well as the march and protest. >> and what happened? >> well, everything was pretty peaceful from the start. there were a few exemptions. a couple guys that yelled out some profanities, but when we transitioned from the rally into the march, the cries for peace, the cries for justice, don't shoot, my hands are up. we marched peacefully. there was really no problems. the police and the people were unified. when we made it to the ending point at the courthouse, a few guys spoke. there were some cheers and claps, but there were also some guys near to the speakers and to the organizers that were yelling profanities at the police. i decided from that point it was time for myself and my son to leave. >> you want to make sure i get this straight. the march itself was peaceful. when the speaking started, there seemed to be some tension between some of the folks who were standing there an

the suspect now identified as 25-year-old micah xavier johnson.to kill white people. particularly white police officers. he said he was upset about the recent police shootings. now, there is a lot that remains unclear. we did just learn also he had military training, part of the army reserves at one point. what is clear is that this week, this nation is on edge. this morning on capitol hill, members of the house urged americans to come together regardless of differences. >> there's no cause or context in which this violence, this kind of terror, is justified, none at all. there will be a temptation to let our anger harden our divisions. let's not let that happen. there's going to be a temptation to let our anger send us further into our corners. let's not let that happen. that script is just too easy to write. >> episodes like this must not harden our divisions but should unify us as a country. we are all horrified by this despicable act of violence and we share in the shock and grief. >> you saw there the house speaker paul ryan and house minorit

cerda/ exsargento de la policia de dallas muy fcil disparo, al ver al policia muy fcil disparo micah xavier johnsonidentificado como el francotirador que abri fuego en la protesta del jueves haba sido reservista del ejrcito y sirvi en la guerra de afhanistan... segn el peridico the dallas morning news johnson le dijo a la policia que haba estado entrenando para llevar acabo la mortal emboscada... y que planeaba matar a oficiales blancos take sot en este ejemplo el oficial fue el enemigo de el y su intento fue matarlo... cerda dice que los uniformados entrenan para cualquier tipo de situacin... take sot muchos diferentes tipos de entrenamientos, como actuar como defenderte y como defender a otras personas cuando una persona esta disparando... la ventaja del sospechoso segn cerda fue el elemento de sorpresa y que los agentes emboscados no tienen el entrenamiento de los agentes del equipo tctico o swat... take sot gil cerda los oficiales de swat titnene extra entrenamiento para tratar con esas personas que les dicen snipers y que estan escondidos y muchas veces no sabes de donde vienen los balazos...

the killer's name, the police chief says, is micah xavier johns johnson.n army reservist who served in afghanistan. they say he used sniper tactics and killed five dallas police officers as they were downtown protecting protesters. the gunfire sent demonstrators and others

authorities believed that the gunman, 25-year-old micah xavier johnson, a former u.s. army reservist, that he was the lone shooter. they say he was armed with a rifle and had a handgun. police negotiators say they told him that he was upset. he was upset about recent police shootings of african-americans at the hands of police officers, and that he wanted to kill white people, especially white officers. the texas governor greg abbott hailed police for their efforts to protect demonstrators when the gunfire erupted. listen. >> the past 24 hours in dallas has been a veritable tale of two cities. on the one hand it's been the tale of heroism of police officers. at the same time it's been a tale of cowardice by an assassin. we are so proud. even in our mourning today. of the men and women who wear the uniform of the dallas police department as well as the dallas area rapid transit. for their heroism in the face of remarkable danger. >> governor abbott there speaking. we bring in detective frederick bishop joining us now live, a detective in the crimes against persons divis

officers rushed in and cornered the suspect and killed 25-year-old micah xavier johnson. an army reservist who spent time in afghanistan told police he wanted to kill white officers in the wake of couldn't verse yell police-involved shootings. he also said he acted alone but investigators aren't so sure. at least three people are still being held by dallas police in connection with the everyone involved to justice. >> reporter: many gathering for a new prayer service from the killing spree. >> we will not shy away from the real fact that we as a city, as a state, as a nation are struggling with racial issues. >> reporter: and dallas mayor mike rawlings says this time, after this shooting, things have got to change. >> this is on my generation of leaders. it is on our watch that we have allowed this to continue to fester. >> reporter: boiling over in downtown dallas during the deadliest attack on law enforcement since 9/11. now back to the three suspects in custody here, dallas police will not discuss what, if any, role they may have played in the ambush overnight. believe

shocked friends described micah xavier johnson as a jokester, a fun loving guy a proud army veteran whotry. but some are also describing him as reclusive, a loner, and police say johnson became infuriated and wanted to kill white police officers. when investigators searched johnson's home, they found a pile of bomb making materials. ed lavendara has been tracking the investigation in dallas. he has lived in dallas for a long time. ed, what's the latest on what we know about the killer? >> reporter: well, we know that investigators are poring through some of the evidence that was pulled out of his home where neighbors tell us he lived with his mother here in a suburb east of dallas called mesquite. that's where investigators over the course of about almost 12 hours of searching pulled out bags and bags of evidence from the home which we were later told included firearms, weapons, bomb making materials, and a journal of combat tactics. and detectives are poring through that book to determine exactly the mind-set of this killer and how this particular attack was planned out and carried out

we'll send it now to our sister station kxas in dallas and to scott friedman. >> reporter: micah xavier johnsonghing, not afraid, singing. he told police that heha working out in preparation. i'm told johnson was wearing a military-style bulletproof vest. he told police he spent time in the military and was carrying a military-style rifle. he did do deployments to afghanistan. a law enforcement source tells me johnson was hit by gunfire before going into a community college campus building that officers actually followed johnson's blood trail into the building. police found him on the second oor and then fired more rounds through a wall. apparently hitting johnson again and wounding him. after that, the negotiations with him began and after several hours, johnson threatening to charge the officers. johnson indicated initially he only wanted to talk with black police officers, that he didn't want to have anything to do with white people. i'm told he shared police conspiracies and his dislike for police officers. in terms of intensity in this situation on a scale of 1 to 10, this in dallas, scott

micah xavier, served two tours in afghanistan. a neighbor says he would see micah xavier johnson practicing gear on obstacle courses armed with firearms and wearing his army uniform. this man coming out of the gunman's home did not want to answer questions. >> what was your reaction when you found out about this? >> tonight johnson's aunt telling nbc news that she involved recent shootings of black men drove him to go on this rampage. >> outside of the home, we have a police mesquite patrol car making sure that nobody knocks on the door of the home. they believe that johnson was a lone gunman and they want to be confident that there is no cocon sp cocon -- >> thank you, nbc's jacob rascon, we'll be right back. it'sand your doctor at yoto maintain your health.a because in 5 days, 10 hours and 2 minutes you are going to be 67. and on that day you will walk into a room where 15 people will be waiting... 12 behind the sofa, 2 behind the table and 1 and a half behind a curtain. family: surprise! but only one of them will make a life long dream come true. great things are ahead of you when your health is ready for them. at humana, we can he

until the moment when micah xavier johnson opened fire. [ gunshots ] >> reporter: five officers were killed and seven more wounded. protecting the demonstrators as they ran away. this was viral video of a very different kind. we saw good cops, not what looked like bad cops. the theater of public anguish shifted to another stage. >> we're hurting. we are heartbroken. >> reporter: dallas police chief david brown on friday morning. >> we don't feel much support most days. let's not make today most days. >> reporter: the irony is the dallas cops were targeted. community policing is the rule in dallas. officer-involved shootings are down. crime is too. just a month ago university of south florida criminology professor lori friedel was brought in to teach impartial policing. as we watched her do in philadelphia last summer. >> there are some very potent implications of the science of bias for training officers for those split-second decisions when they need to decide whether or not to use force or not. >> reporter: dallas is one of dozens of police forces since 2014 engaged in a massive so

please, we need your support. >> police identified the gunman as 25-year-old micah xavier johnson. ice chief saying johnson told them he was upset about the recent police shootings and wanted to kill white people especially white officers and that he act aide lone. after several hours of negotiations he's killed by a police bomb robolt. president obama calling the shooting a vicious, calculated and despicable attack on law enforcement and ordering flags on public buildings flown at half-staff. >> this has been a week of profound grief and heartbreaking loss. >> attorney genel loretta lynch speaking friday urging americans to move forward together. >> to all americans, i ask you, i implore you, do not let this week precipitate a new normal in this country. i ask you to turn to each other, not against each other as we move forward. let us support one another. let us help heal one another. and i urge you to remember today and every day, that we are one nation. we are one people. and we stand together. >> a tragic, tragic week across this country. the politicians, the presidential candi

his name is micah xavier johnson. east 25 years old. he was an army veteran who served in afghanistan. police say seven more officers were wounded during the attack during a march protesting the shooting of two black men. johnson was killed when police detonated a bomb being carried by a robot. today the city of dallas is mourning the lives lost. joel waldman is there. >> he joins us with the latest on the investigation. joel.>>reporter: good evening. people here in dallas and across the country are trying to make sense of last night's deadly sniper attack, targeting white officers during the police protest. the investigation is still in the early stages. dallas police say the attack appears to be racial. the suspect reportedly wanted to kill white police officers. loretta lynch says the justice department is keeping a close eye on the situation. >> we intend to provide assistance to investigate this attack. to help heal the community that has been shaken and deeply scarred.>>reporter: meanwhile police departments across the country are

the shooter is micah xavier johnson. he had no involvement in political groups like black lives matter. less than 24 hours later, a vigil downtown to remember those who died. police chief david brown says the investigation continues. mayor mike rawlings says his community must rid itself of this cancer of separatism. >> i choose those words. and i believe this city will be better and see better days, because of the lives that were lost last night. god bless dallas. god bless texas. >> reporter: police and hospital officials also have yet to give us an update on the condition of the seven injured officers and those civilians who were hurt. bret? >> rich edson, thank you. let's head live now to that press conference at city hall. now speaking, the mayor of dallas. mayor rawlings. let's listen in. >> and he'll take that back and austin is going to fly that in honor of this. before we do that, though, i wanted to deliver a little bit of news, that i think is relevant, and everybody wants to hear. as many of, you know, the po

story, the sniper that killed the five officers was planning a much bigger attack, 25-year-old micah xavier johnson had enough of bomb making material and his home to cause mass destruction across all of dallas. and more on that investigation. >> reporter: they say it appears that the dallas sniper micah johnson had a larger attack plan, a significant amount of explosive material and could've caused greater harm. >> i caught shrapnel in the chest. you know, like i said, my aim was to protect and to go in stop this. so i bandaged up by hand with a handkerchief that i had in my pocket, wrapped it up, and kept going.>> reporter: as the dallas survivors now share their stories, the police say that the moment after the gunman micah johnson attack, he taunted the officers for hours before he was killed, laughing at them and asking how many officers he had shot as they tried to negotiate. the protests continue over the killing of black people across the u. s. in louisiana, dozens of demonstrators were arrested, and in memphis, tennessee, protesters blocked the interstate ridge across the river, and presid

the shooter has been identified as 25-year-old micah xavier johnson, a former u.s. army reservist who served in afghanistan. authorities say that it appears he acted alone and they say that they found bomb-making materials inside his home before he was killed. before killed by police, he was killed by a bomb squad robot. police say johnson told negotiators he was upset of killings of recent african american men by police. the maryor is calling for peopl to come together. >> the past 24 hours in dallas has been a variable tale of two cities. on the one hand, it's been the tale of heroism of police officers. at the same time, it's been a tale of crowdedness by an assass assassin. >> we will not shy away from the very real fact that we as a city, as a state, as a nation are struggling with racial issues. they continue to divide us. yes, it's that word race and we've got to attack it head on. i will tell you this is on me generation of leaders. it is on our watch that we have allowed this to continue to fester, that we have led the next generation down a vicious path of

the shooter is micah xavier johnson. he had no involvement in political groups like black lives matter. less than 24 hours later, a vigil downtown to remember those who died. police chief david brown says the investigation continues. mayor mike rawlings says his community must rid itself of this cancer of separatism. >> i choose those words. and i believe this city will be better and see better days, because of the lives that were lost last night. god bless dallas. god bless texas. >> reporter: police and hospital officials also have yet to give us an update on the condition of the seven injured officers and those civilians who were hurt. bret? >> rich edson, thank you. let's head live now to that press conference at city hall. now speaking, the mayor of dallas. mayor rawlings. let's listen in. >> and he'll take that back and austin is going to fly that in honor of this. before we do that, though, i wanted to deliver a little bit of news, that i think is relevant, and everybody wants to hear. as many of, you know, the po

and as you mentioned, that gunman, 25-year-old micah xavier johnson, police are telling us he acted alone but you may remember it was initially thought his gunfire was mistaken for snipers which is why police are now calling him a mobile shooter. today we're learning a little bit more about him. while he was killed by a police detonated bomb we' war in afghanistan and he had a serious grudge against cops and white people. right now most of downtown dallas is still shut down while police still search for evidence. police here are calling it a well-planned attack. taking the lives of five officers and wounding seven more including two civilians. police say that he had a written manifestos on how to shoot and move and he did just that. he wreaked chaos in what started out as a peaceful protest, shooting -- protesting the deaths of black men in minnesota and louisiana. now again, downtown dallas is shut down as investigators look for evidence. the president is expected to be here next week to meet with the governor as well as victims. live in dallas, back to you. >> thank you. >>> meanwhile t

get you up to speed with the latest on the tragedy including new details about the shooter micah xavier johnsoncused of sexual harassment by a female soldier while serving in afghanistan. johnson was in the army. he was given an honorable discharge despite the army recommending against it. president obama in poland today said he doesn't believe that americans are divided as some have suggested. the president will visit dallas early next week. >>> meanwhile protests nationwide from phoenix to rochester, new york turning confrontational last night. police in new york arresting 74 people. most rallies were peaceful. the shooting is fresh in the minds and hearts of dallas residents who have to find a way to heal. we go to nbc's tremendoaine leeh more. there is a history of unrest between police officers and african-americans. it appears to be taking a shift. i don't know if you heard my interview. the police officer the running toward danger. >> reporter: that's right. here we are, chris, on the south side of dallas. the traditional heart of the black community here. behind me at the dr. martin lut

. >> reporter: but it was one person, micah xavier johnson. >> mr. johnson had written manifestos on how to shoot and move. >> you see him advancing with deadly efficiency on this officer firing, the officer gunned down. the toll, 14 shot, 12 of them officers, 5 of the officers died. towards midnight s.w.a.t. teams finally corner johnson on the second floor of el centro college. >> the suspect stated he wanted to kill white people especially white officers. >> reporter: negotiations break down and police use an explosive mounted on a robot similar to this one to kill johnson for the first time in history. the crime scene enormous. spanning 20 city blocks. the shooter was about 100 yards away still able to hit the squad car bullet holes here and down on the other side of the car and managed to shoot out the tires. with tensions here still high as we interviewed the chief of the dallas area rapid transit who lost one of his officers in the attack a man approaches from behind making that shooting motion into the chief's back. it was a pretty jarring mom

officials say the lone attacker was 25-year-old micah xavier johnson, a military veteran who served inan. he says, rather they say johnson killed the five officers, he is the person behind it, wounding seven others in the attack that started thursday night. two civilians also injured in that attack. police killed johnson with a bomb on a robot. the shooting occurred near the end of a protest over the police shooting of two dead african-american men in different states that happened earlier this week. for more now on how dallas is responding to the shooting, i'm joined by cnn political commentator ferguson. it is good to be with you this day. around the world, people saw what happened in dallas. this is my home state as it is yours as well, ben, it was hard to watch and hard to report the terrible facts of the officers not coming home to the families. talk to us about the last 24 hours, what you've seen and how the state has responded. >> it has been a unique 24 hours because you had total shock and mayhem at this time last night. you then had the shock of how many police officers were

micah xavier johnson, an army reservist. police sent in an explosives-bearing robot after hours of negotiations. he had no criminal record. he had been stockpiling weapons and bomb-making materials inside his home. meanwhile, the families of

micah xavier johnson. police say he lived in a dallas suburb named mesquite. and the army confirms that he served in the army reserves and did one tour in afghanistan. ktvu's cristina rendon is in the newsroom with more on what we're learning about the investigation and those five officers who were killed. >> reporter: frank, in the past hour we learned the gunman acted alone despite reports that others may have been arrested. he died when police detonated a bomb-carrying robot in the parking garage he was in. tonight we're learning more about the officers he killed. prayers led a day of mourning in dallas as the memorial continues to grow outside the police department. >> our hearts have been broken by the recent events that have transpired throughout this entire week, especially these last 24 hours. >> reporter: the ambush on police followed a peaceful protest in downtown dallas thursday night. five officers killed, seven others injured. >> our profession is hurting. dallas officers are hurting. >> four dallas officers and one dallas area rapid transit offic

the suspected shooter, 25-year-old micah xavier johnson.after an hours-long standoff with police. this morning, officials now believe that he was, in fact, the lone gunman in this incident. they stress the situation, though, is still fluid and that their understanding of the situation has changed throughout the day. investigators are still working to confirm whether johnson was connected to some kind of extremist organization, perhaps some sort of domestic organization. officials have ruled out any connection to islamist extremist groups, including isis and al qaeda. i'm joined now from capitol hill by congressman dave reichert of washington state. he's chair of the law enforcement caucus. he served in law enforcement for 33 years. congressman reichert, thank you so much for joining me. i know you're very busy today. based on what we know at this point about the events here in dallas, was there anything that could have been done to prevent the shootings here? >> i think that's a question that the local authorities are going to have to answe

the shooter, micah xavier johnson, opened fire at the end of an anti-police brutality march, killing five officers, and wounding at least 7 more. johnson was an army veteran who served in afghanistan in 2014. a female soldier accused him of sexual harassment, took out a restraining order, he was sent back to the u.s. by the army. speaking tuesday, president obama acknowledged racial discrimination exists within police departments. president obama: perhaps we have heard prejudice in our own heads and felt that in our own hearts. we know that. and well some suffer far more , some feelm's burden to a greater extent discrimination's sting. although most of us do our best to guard against it and teach our children better, none of us is entirely innocent. no institution is entirely immune. and that includes our police departments. we know this. amy: president obama will meet today in washington dc with law enforcement officials and civil rights leaders, as daily demonstratations against policee brutality continue across the country. meanwhile, the losos angeles policece commission has rule

micah xavier johnson, twice scrawling letters r-b in his own blood on walls of the parking garage where he was holed up during the ambush. during a two-hour negotiation, he told police he had planted bombs around the city. kyung lah is live in dallas. >> reporter: tonight, new details on the weapons gunman micah johnson carried the night he killed officers. a glock pistol, another handgun and ak-style semi automatic rifle as they pour through the evidence. >> there's over 170 hours of body camera video to download. and that is ongoing. detectives are also collecting all dash cam video. >> reporter: dallas police chief david brown describing the delusional behavior of the gunman, singing, laughing and writing a final cryptic message. the initials, "rb" on the walls in his own blood. tonight new details of micah johnson's troubled past. newly released records show he graduated near the bottom of his high school class, then joining the military. his mother saying her son wasn't the same after seven months in afghanistan. >> i didn't see it coming. i love my son with all my heart. i hate wh

. >> reporter: micah xavier johnson, a former military man who was apparently harboring deep racial hatred, especially against white police officers. johnson's facebook page content reveals some of that rage. he "liked" a page which said, "kill everything blue that moves." police say johnson embraced a radical form of afrocentrism. johnson served in the army from 2009 until 2015, and did a tour in afghanistan. today, when police searched johnson's home in meui texas, they found bomb making materials, ballistic vests, rifles, and a personal journal of combat tactics. >> this guy lived around the corner from me and was willing to take people's lives he didn't even know. you know, it's scary. >> reporter: johnson's sister took to facebook today, writing, "the news will say what they think, but those who knew him know this wasn't like him." police initially thought there were two gunmen. but tonight, law enforcement sources tell abc news they believe johnson was the lone gunman. >> and pierre joins us. what are your sources telling us they're looking at? >> reporter: no criminal history. but t

this man, 25-year-old micah xavier johnson. the lone shooter and apparently had been infuriated by police killings of african-americans. some context. it's important to keep in mind the frustration, the outrage quite frankly felt by many after these protests that began this week after the killing of two african-american men by police officers in the states of louisiana and minnesota. the fiance of philando castile captured the moments after his shooting wednesday in a suburb of st. paul, minnesota in a live facebook video post. she says a police officer shot castile after pulling him over for a broken taillight and when he went to reach for his wallet after being asked for identification, that's when it happened. castile's mother, valerie, says she just does not understand why this happened. >> i did everything right as a parent. i made sure my kids understood the difference in being law-abiding and that the police were there to help. i never once in my life would have thought that my son would actually be killed by the persons

late today authorities said they believe this was the act of a lone gunman, 25-year-old micah xavier johnson, a black army veteran who lived just outside dallas. police say he told them he was out to kill white officers.

. >> the shooter was identified as micah xavier johnson.e was a member of the army reserves records showed. it is hard to explain the unexplainable but chief brown sited the shooter's own words. >> he said he was upset about the recent police shootings. the suspect stated he wanted to kill white people especially white officers. >> police swept downtown for bombs. nothing was found. by late friday the mayor said he was the lone gunman. >> i have no information about any coconspirators. >> there was a lot of talk. >> the past 24 hours in dallas has been a variable tale of two cities. on the one hand it has been a tale of -- heroism of police officers and at the same time it has been a tale of cowardness by an asassin. >> there has been a despicable attack on law enforcement. >> many wond rg what actions will this country take to finally stop the violence. >>> i want to now remember some of the too many lives lost this week. alton sterling was 37 years old when he was killed on tuesday. sterling had sold cd's in the convenience store packing

this tribute blocks away from where micah xavier johnson carried out his attacks and h e hatred for cops. now focusing on laying their own to rest while investigators sift through 170 hours of body cam video and johnson's personal arsenal to get answers after johnson was killed by a police detonated bomb robot. >> this wasn't an ethical dilemma for me. i would do it again. >> reporter: president obama, his remarks on the heels of police shootings spark the late latest tragedy. >> this has to stop, black men dying, being forgotten, people retaliating against people sworn to defend us. >> reporter: the nation tries to heal and move forward. and we talk about the support here in dallas but this outpouring of support is coming in from all over this nation. just today some two little girls, they raised $10,000 in two days far lemonade stand giving the money to the families of those victims. southwest airlines donating $75,000 to the victims and the families, just some of the many ways the people are wrapping their arms and victims here showing their love and spofrmt back to you. >> thank you