Click here for updates on this story
Dallas, TX (KTVT) — The investigation continues into finding who shot at four officers while they were helping victims of a traffic accident at the intersection of John West Road and La Prada Drive.
The shooting happed on October 31, 2020, at 6:58 p.m.
Two Dallas police officers along with two Mesquite officers — all in uniform — were targeted, according to Dallas Police Association president Mike Mata.
“They were waiting on a wrecker and directing traffic when all of the sudden bullets are coming their way,” said Mata.
Immediately following the initial shot, 4-5 additional shots were fired. The officers took cover and called for backup.
The officers were able to safely run toward the area of the gunshots in an attempt to locate a suspect or suspects. As officers were running, they heard screaming coming from 8300 La Prada Drive.
Mata said a 19 year-old believed to be the gunman was found and arrested for unlawful carrying of a weapon. His gun is now being tested to see it was indeed the weapon used in the shooting.
“If it comes though attrition that this is the individual that fired those rounds at officers, it absolutely was intentional and unfortunately, it’s a narrative that’s being carried across the country by a very small percentage, but vocal amount of people,” Mata said.
He said across the country, there’s several recent examples of unsuspecting officers targeted for no reason.
“The protests that we’ve had in the past, we’ve had individuals that were throwing bricks,” he said. “What happened in New Orleans with that officer that was shot in the face doing nothing but sitting in his squad car. This narrative that the police are the public’s enemy has to stop because it is not true.”
Mata said not only is this causing significant stress for officers and their families, but it’s taking a toll on mental health.
The DPA’s Assist the Officer Foundation provides confidential counseling to officers and their families. Mata said in the last three years, demand for services has increased more than 200%.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
Regulators authorized AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine for use in adults throughout the European Union on Friday, amid criticism the bloc is not moving fast enough to vaccinate its population.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A former FBI lawyer was sentenced to probation for altering an email that the Justice Department relied on during its surveillance of an aide to President Donald Trump during the Russia investigation.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Tony Evers lashed out Friday at rival Republicans who tried to repeal his statewide mask mandate, saying killing the order would be a ridiculous move comparable to abolishing speed limits.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — As some conservatives in South Carolina celebrated getting a bill that would ban almost all abortions in the state past a legislative barrier and likely becoming law, they said they are not finished trying to end all abortions.
A Moscow court on Friday put the brother and several allies of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny under house arrest for two months as authorities sought to stymie more protests over the jailing of the top Kremlin foe.