Bloodshed As Gunman Dead With Dallas Police Officers Shot Dead By At least Two Snipers

Brent Thompson

So far five police officers have been shot dead by snipers at a Black Lives Matter rally in Texas, amid a warning "there are bombs all over Dallas".

The shooting was carried out by two snipers at a protest in Dallas, Texas.

Protesters on the street of Dallas 

Six other officers have been wounded in the attack.

Two of those killed have been named as 43-year-old Brent Thompson of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit police department, and Patrick Zamarripa.

On Tuesday, music vendor Alton Sterling was shot dead in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after being held down by police officers.

The following day, Philando Castile was in a car with his girlfriend and child when he was shot dead by an officer in Minnesota.

Both shootings were captured on mobile phones and the footage widely shared.

Dallas police chief David Brown said the snipers took their shots "from elevated positions" during the protest in an "ambush style".

Some had been shot in the back.

Mr Brown said it appeared the gunmen "planned to injure and kill as many officers as they could".

The shootings sparked panic as protesters scrambled for cover.

Resident Carlos Harris said the gunmen "were strategic. It was tap, tap pause. Tap, tap pause."

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he had directed the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety to offer "whatever assistance the City of Dallas needs at this time".