Overview
- The ambush occurred on July 7, 2016, when 25-year-old Army Reserve veteran Micah Xavier Johnson fired on officers during a downtown Black Lives Matter protest, killing four Dallas police officers and one DART officer.
- Officers and the shooter exchanged more than 200 rounds before police cornered Johnson inside El Centro College and used a bomb-equipped robot to detonate explosives that killed him.
- Nine other officers and two civilians were wounded in the attack and authorities said the gunman told negotiators he was angry about recent police killings and wanted to target white officers.
- On July 7, 2026, Dallas held ceremonies, lit downtown blue, and gathered families and leaders at the permanent memorial — a 14-foot sculpture unveiled in 2019 — to honor the five fallen officers.
- The attack reshaped local policy and public debate by raising questions about protest security, officer safety and the legal and ethical implications of using a robot to deliver lethal force.