Dallas Police Chief David O. Brown said that the sniper told police negotiators that he was angry about recent police-involved shootings and the Black Lives Matter movement, although he claimed to be acting alone and not involved with any group.

“The suspect said he was upset at white people. The suspect stated he wanted to kill white people, especially white officers,” he said.

The police chief also appealed to Americans to renew their respect and support police officers, noting that the officers in Dallas rushed toward the sniper and certain death to protect citizens.

“We don’t feel much support most days. Lets not make today most days,” said Mr. Brown. “We need your support to be able to protect you from men like these who carried out this tragic, tragic event.”

He called the Dallas police officers “some of the bravest men and women you would ever want to be associated with.”

“You see video footage after video footage of them running toward gunfire from an elevated position with no chance to protect themselves and to put themselves in harms way to make sure citizens can get to a place of security,” he said.

“Please join me in applauding these brave men an women who do this job under great scrutiny, under great vulnerability,who literally risk their lives to protect our democracy.”

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