It’s hard to find the proper words to discuss the events that took place in Dallas, TX last night.
Everything that occurred has been nothing short of completely and utterly horrific. At what was intended to be a peaceful protest, at least eleven police officers were shot and a confirmed five were killed by a group of unnamed snipers.
Black Lives Matter and like-minded individuals gathered to protest the shooting deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, along with police brutality in general. The event was reportedly going off without a hitch until a group of terrorists opened fire on police officers across the area.
A particularly haunting video from the chaos shows a police officer attempt to sneak up on one of the shooters and opens fire. The bullets seem to bounce off of the man, indicating that he is wearing a bulletproof vest. The unidentified terrorist then returns fire to the officer, wounding him before a terrifying execution.
Despite being blurry footage that is filmed from a distance, it’s extremely graphic and unsettling. It’s not enjoyable to watch, but it’s of vital importance to understand just how devastating this situation is. The fact that a police officer — who was trying to protect innocent people from potential harm — was murdered in cold blood by a violent lunatic is beyond words. What can we say about this?
The smoke is still clearing on the whole event and there is a lot to process. However, it’s quite clear from the video that the shooter is a well-trained individual. He quickly reacts to the police officer and responds violently and efficiently.
We’re living in dangerous times, everyone. We need to be prepared for anything that comes while simultaneously supporting nonviolence and peaceful resolutions to tense, difficult arguments. It’s time to have uncomfortable conversations in an attempt to resolve the growing societal problems in this country.
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