Dallas Has a Long, Dark History of Racial Violence

Last Thursday night in downtown Dallas, five police officers were killed by sniper-style fire that broke out toward the end of a peaceful rally protesting the recent police shootings of two black men—Philando Castile in Falcon Heights, Minnesota, and Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The rally was attended by about 800 protesters and patrolled by about 100 law enforcement officers. The alleged gunman, Micah Xavier Johnson, reportedly told police that he was “upset about recent police shootings” and “wanted to kill white people, especially white officers.”

The irony is tragic. In recent years, the Dallas Police Department has made admirable strides in reducing excessive force and officer-involved shootings, with a focus on community policing and de-escalation strategies. In a metropolitan area where black citizens represent about a quarter of the population, that’s significant. African Americans are disproportionately subjected to police brutality in the U.S.