What we know:
—Twelve officers were shot by snipers. Of these, four Dallas police officers and one officer from the Dallas Area Rapid Transit were killed.
—Three suspects are in custody and being questioned. One was killed. The slain suspect said he “wanted to kill white people,” the Dallas police chief said.
—The deadly attacks occurred during protests against police-involved shootings of black men this week in Louisiana and Minnesota.
—We’re live-blogging the major updates, and you can read how it all unfolded below. All updates are in Eastern Standard Time (GMT -5).
1:07 p.m.
The Associated Press, quoting the Army, is reporting that the slain Dallas attacker served a tour in Afghanistan.
BREAKING: Army says Micah Xavier Johnson, named as #Dallas shooting suspect, had served as enlisted soldier; served tour in Afghanistan.
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 8, 2016
Officials, as we’ve previously said, have not publicly identified the attacker.
As a mark of respect for the victims of the attack on police officers perpetrated on Thursday, July 7, 2016, in Dallas, Texas, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, July 12, 2016. I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.
Separately, Attorney General Loretta Lynch in a televised statement said: “After the events of this week, Americans across the country are feeling a sense of helplessness, of uncertainty, and of fear. These feelings are understandable and they are justified. But the answer must not be violence. The answer is never violence.”
11:05 a.m.
Details are emerging about the man who was killed by a police robot bomb in the Dallas garage.
https://twitter.com/AlexHortonTX/status/751431757405138944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Later, CNN, citing a law-enforcement official, reported Johnson had no criminal record or known ties to terrorism.
10:53 a.m.
The Los Angeles Times, CBS News, and NBC News, citing anonymous sources, are identifying the shooter killed in the garage as Micah Johnson, 25, of Mesquite, Texas. Some news organizations are identifying him as Micah X. Johnson; others as Micah Xavier Johnson. Authorities have not publicly confirmed the dead man’s identity.