Police Officers Ambushed, Attacked in Several States

All are expected to survive
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jul 8, 2016 4:32 PM CDT
Police Officers Ambushed, Attacked in Several States
People take part in a prayer vigil at Thanksgiving Square, Friday, July 8, 2016, in Dallas. Five police officers are dead and several injured following a shooting during what began as a peaceful protest in the city the night before.    (Eric Gay)

Police say officers have been targeted in Tennessee, Georgia, and Missouri in the aftermath of two high-profile killings of black men by law enforcement, the AP reports. Details:

  • The attack in Tennessee, which left a civilian dead and three others, including one police officer, injured, occurred hours before the killing of five police officers in Dallas on Thursday night during a protest. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation says the attacker told authorities that he was frustrated by the recent killings by police of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota.
  • A suburban St. Louis police chief says a motorist shot an officer three times as the officer walked back to his car during a traffic stop in Missouri Friday. Ballwin Police Chief Kevin Scott says the attack happened around 11am and was captured on video. St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar says the suspect, who is in his 30s, "ambushed" the officer, who is in critical but stable condition. His identity wasn't released.

  • A man who called 911 to report a car break-in Friday ambushed a south Georgia police officer dispatched to the scene, sparking a shootout in which both the officer and suspect were wounded, authorities said. Both are expected to survive. Officer Randall Hancock was shot multiple times as he responded to a 911 call about a car break-in outside the Three Oaks Apartments just after 8am Friday, Valdosta Police Chief Brian Childress said at a news conference. The suspected gunman has been identified as 22-year-old Stephen Paul Beck, reportedly an Asian male. Police haven't speculated on a motive.
  • In a fourth attack early Friday, a motorist fired at a police car as the officer drove by. The shooting happened in Roswell, a city just north of Atlanta. Victor Alonzo Majia Nunez, 21, was being questioned by detectives Friday. Police have not released a motive. The suspect fired multiple shots, but none hit Officer Brian McKenzie or his patrol car.
All the officers are expected to survive. (Meanwhile, in Rhode Island, a police officer is being investigated for allegedly punching and dragging a woman.)

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