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73-448: Santander Tower , formerly known as Thanksgiving Tower , is a 50-story, 197 m (646 ft) skyscraper at 1601 Elm Street adjacent to Thanks-Giving Square in downtown Dallas , Texas . At its completion in 1982, it was the second tallest building in Dallas , surpassing Elm Place . One year later, with the completion of 1700 Pacific , it became the third tallest, and it is currently

146-500: A .50-caliber round, and another soldier's prescription medication in his sleeping bag. Later, the Army sent Johnson back to the U.S., and according to the military lawyer who represented Johnson at the time, the Army initiated proceedings to give Johnson an " other than honorable " discharge. The lawyer claimed this was "highly unusual" because written reprimands are usually issued before more drastic steps are taken, and also because

219-583: A robot to kill a suspect. The shooting was the deadliest incident for U.S. law enforcement since the September 11 attacks , surpassing two related March 2009 shootings in Oakland, California , and a November 2009 ambush shooting in Lakewood, Washington , each of which killed four police officers and the gunmen. It was the second-deadliest targeted attack of U.S. law enforcement officers in history; and

292-558: A Left wing counterpart of right wing “Black Nationalism”. He also posted multiple BPP posters and other forms of far-left propaganda some of which called for a “class war”, though this is contradictory to other posts and likes he made. Johnson "liked" the Facebook page of the African American Defense League, whose leader, Mauricelm-Lei Millere, called for the murders of police officers across the U.S. following

365-496: A SWAT negotiator at the time, and other officers attempting for several hours to negotiate with Johnson. Officers interviewed by WFAA later said that they had sought to negotiate with Johnson because he was too heavily armed for the officers to risk charging him, but that they were under pressure and could not wait indefinitely because Johnson could pop out from behind a corner at any time to shoot an officer. The body camera footage shows Senior Corporal Matt Banes expressing concern that

438-415: A car window over her leaving for college and severed an artery, then forced her to bring him to a hospital for treatment. However, Johnson claimed that he punched out the window when the soldier missed a movie they planned to see together, and added that he had been under stress from his job and turbulent home life at the time. According to the soldier, Johnson asked her for a pair of her underwear before

511-457: A combat zone. They also said he had little interest in the topics of racial injustice and the killing of Trayvon Martin that occurred at the time. In an interview, Johnson's parents said that he was once extroverted and patriotic, and wanted to become a police officer. Following his discharge from the Army, they described him as disillusioned, reclusive, and resentful of the U.S. government; and believed he had been disappointed by his experience in

584-604: A connection between the suspect and any international terrorism or domestic extremist groups". An investigation into his online activities uncovered his interest in Black nationalist groups. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), and news outlets reported that Johnson " liked " the Facebook pages of Black nationalist organizations such as the New Black Panther Party (NBPP), Nation of Islam , and Black Riders Liberation Party , three groups which are listed by

657-522: A corner firing intermittently. He was in an area filled with offices and the school's computer servers, with only two doors leading to where he was positioned, and a hallway about 30 feet (9.1 m) long separating him from SWAT members. At least 200 gunshots were believed to have been fired by Johnson and SWAT officers in that area during the standoff. Body camera video released in July 2021 pursuant to an open records request shows Sergeant Larry Gordon,

730-492: A female soldier, who sought a protective order against him and said that he needed mental health counseling. The accusation was made after the soldier reported four pairs of women's underwear missing from her laundry bag. A "health and welfare inspection" of soldiers' rooms found one pair in Johnson's quarters, while a soldier discovered the remaining three in Johnson's pocket. Upon being confronted about it, Johnson fled with

803-594: A major national shrine. It welcomes people of all cultures and religions are welcome to celebrate values, thoughts, and spirituality in a contemplative setting. Concurrent to private development, the City of Dallas constructed transportation infrastructure below the landscaped garden. The City of Dallas leases the land and subsurface from the Thanks-Giving Foundation, but owns the underground structures. Pritzker Architecture Prize winner Philip Johnson

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876-916: A more favorable general discharge under honorable conditions . He was honorably discharged in September 2014, apparently as a result of an Army error. Johnson remained in the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR), meaning he could be recalled into the Army if needed, and was part of the IRR at the time of his death. Johnson received the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star , Army Achievement Medal , Global War on Terrorism Service Medal , Armed Forces Reserve Medal , and NATO Medal for his tour of duty in Afghanistan. Some of Johnson's fellow soldiers criticized

949-404: A police officer standing in front of a 7-Eleven , killing him and shattering the store-front glass. Officers began entering the college, sealing escape routes from the building, and evacuating students and teachers in the building, including those on a floor above Johnson, through a different stairwell. Approaching Johnson on the second floor near the library, officers found him secured behind

1022-453: A shooting spree after he threatened to kill all the adult members of his family and to shoot up some churches and schools. Boulware later made threats against a judge in his child custody case after he and the mother of his eleven-year-old son lost custody of their son to Boulware's mother, on the grounds that they were unfit for sole custody of the child. A protest was organized in Dallas by

1095-500: A stairwell. Accompanied by another police officer, Shaw entered the stairwell and was met with a hail of gunfire coming from above. Unable to see Johnson, he held his fire and retreated with the other officer. Afterwards, Johnson made his way along a mezzanine between the school's second-floor dining area and third-floor library, but came onto a dead end of windows facing down onto Elm Street. He shot out multiple windows and fired repeatedly at officers on Elm Street. He hit Michael Smith,

1168-418: A weakened office market as the catalysts for the adaptive reuse project. In 2013, Woods Capital acquired the tower out of foreclosure. Woods began a repositioning campaign estimated at $ 45m to revitalize the building and surrounding areas. During this program the lobbies, plaza, mechanical systems, common areas, and other portions of the tower were all upgraded. Occupancy in the building increased because of

1241-573: Is a 14-foot (4.3 m) diameter aluminum ring is covered in 23 carat (96%) gold leaf. Visitors can walk through the ring before passing under a 50-foot (15 m) Bell Tower featuring three bronze bells designed in the form of the Liberty Bell . In the middle of the garden is the Center Court of Praise, which takes inspiration from public gathering spaces around the world. It is here that special events have celebrated “gratitude on

1314-461: Is located in the Cedars neighborhood. There, he opened fire using what appeared to be a semi-automatic rifle. When police officers responded, Boulware rammed a Dallas Police patrol car and began shooting at officers from inside the van, striking the squad cars. He then fled in the van to nearby Hutchins , Texas (10 miles (16 km) south of Dallas), where he stopped in the parking lot of a Jack in

1387-738: The 8th-tallest building in the city. The building is connected to the Dallas Pedestrian Network and the Bullington Truck Terminal . Santander Tower is owned and managed by Woods Capital, and it was designed by the architecture firm HKS Architects . Formerly known as the Thanks-Giving Tower, it was renamed in 2020 after Banco Santander . In mid-2022 it was announced that 12 of the 50 floors will be converted into 228 residential units with building ownership citing post-pandemic housing demand and

1460-420: The Dallas Pedestrian Network is situated one level below the garden, connecting several adjacent buildings with corridors lined in restaurant and retail space. Consecutive construction with the garden above allowed for skylights, wide walkways and several colorful atriums to disguise the fact that pedestrians are several feet underground. Unlike other portions of the pedway network that were privately constructed,

1533-618: The Mesquite Independent School District . He struggled academically, graduating in 2009 with a 1.98 grade-point average and a ranking of 430 out of 453 students in his class. In the spring of 2011, he enrolled in four classes at Richland College , but never completed any of them. Investigators believed that Johnson had access to El Centro College through his enrollment at Richland, citing his pre-planned and coordinated movements throughout Building B. Immediately after high school, Johnson enlisted in

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1606-531: The U.S. Army Reserve and served from March 2009 to April 2015 as a 12W carpentry and masonry specialist. He completed basic training , which required qualification on handling of an M16 rifle or M4 carbine , basic rifles for U.S. military personnel. According to Justin Garner, a high-school friend and classmate who later served alongside Johnson in the same unit, Johnson lacked proficiency in certain required technical skills, such as marksmanship. Johnson

1679-579: The 100th Psalm is featured prominently in quotes and messages as delineated by Hindu, Jewish, Christian and Muslim authorities. Mosaic, stained glass, engraving, and graphic art adorn the walls and windows throughout Thanks-Giving Square. At the western end of the park is the Court of All Nations, the ceremonial entryway that contains the Wall of Praise (featuring a portion of the text from Psalms 100) and Norman Rockwell 's "Golden Rule" mosaic. The Ring of Thanks

1752-446: The 1991 beating of Rodney King by police officers. Brown said that Johnson had told police negotiators that he was upset about Black Lives Matter. Police said they had found no direct ties between Johnson and Black Lives Matter protesters. "Two law enforcement officials told NPR's Dina Temple-Raston that they believe the suspect had been planning an attack for some time and acted on his own. They added that they have not identified

1825-713: The 2014 murder of Laquan McDonald . In response to the police killing of Alton Sterling , the organization had "posted a message earlier in the week encouraging violence against police". Johnson's Facebook profile photo depicted Johnson raising his arm in a Black Power salute , along with images of a Black Power symbol and a flag associated with the Pan-Africanism movement. These symbols have long represented Black empowerment, but have also been co-opted by reactionary groups with bigoted views. Conversely, people familiar with Johnson during his military service believed he may have been severely stressed with serving in

1898-409: The Army on July 29 detailed early signs of disturbing behavior being exhibited by him, but specific details were redacted. They also said that while Johnson was sociable, he was generally described by soldiers as a loner who sometimes ate his lunch in a vehicle alone while the rest of his unit ate outside together. On May 1, 2014, during his deployment, Johnson was accused of sexual harassment by

1971-419: The Army's criteria for sexual harassment, investigators found that Johnson's sexually suggestive comments to the female soldier met said criteria. Following the inspection, he was disarmed under the recommendation of his platoon sergeant, who felt he posed a threat. Another Army official later described the action as unusual, as Johnson did not appear to be visibly agitated or a threat to himself or others at

2044-504: The Army's handling of the case. Chief Brown said that Johnson, who was Black , was upset about recent police shootings of Black men and "stated he wanted to kill white people, especially officers." A friend and former coworker of Johnson's described him as "always [being] distrustful of the police." Another former coworker said he seemed "very affected" by recent police shootings of Black men. A friend said that Johnson had anger management problems and would repeatedly watch videos of

2117-656: The Book of Prayers and presidential proclamations. The Chapel of Thanksgiving is the spiritual center of Thanks-Giving Square open to visitors of all faiths. The spiraling shape rises 90 feet (27.5 m ) above street level, suggesting the infinite upward reach of the human spirit. The chapel's design takes its inspiration from the Great Mosque in Samarra, Iraq (itself derived from the square, spiral Pillar of Gor in Iran ) and

2190-540: The Box franchise. He remained in the van as a standoff with police ensued. Further gunfire was exchanged with the police while a perimeter was set up around the van, and a SWAT team was called in. The driver identified himself to police as James Boulware, and claimed that the police had taken his son, accusing him of "being a terrorist". He then cut off communication with officers after making increasingly agitated and angry rants against police. The driver then threatened to blow

2263-608: The Dallas Central Business District; the Bullington Truck Terminal was the only one funded and completed. 2016 shooting of Dallas police officers On July 7, 2016, Micah Xavier Johnson ambushed and shot police officers in Dallas , Texas , killing five, injuring nine others, and wounding two civilians. Johnson, a 25-year-old Army Reserve Afghan War veteran, was angry over white police shootings of black men . He shot

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2336-472: The May 1 incident, but she declined. Also, during a Facebook conversation with her, Johnson mentioned "tying her down and having her face down on the bed" but then claimed the statement was a joke. Though she told him that rape was "never a joke" and to stop contacting her, the soldier did not report him for harassment at the time because she was used to that kind of rhetoric. Though the May 1 incident did not meet

2409-539: The NBPP why they had not purchased more weapons and ammunition, and expressing his desire to harm Black church preachers because he believed they were more interested in money than God. Following the shooting, a national NBPP leader distanced the group from Johnson, saying that he "was not a member of" the party. Further investigation into his digital footprint showed that Johnson visited the sites of Marxist Leninist groups associated with “Revolutionary Black Nationalism”,

2482-652: The Next Generation Action Network in response to the killings of two men, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile , by police officers in Louisiana and Minnesota, respectively, days before. The Dallas protest was one of several held across the United States on the night of July 7. Around 800 protesters were involved, and around 100 police officers were assigned to monitor the event. About 20 to 30 open-carry gun rights activists joined

2555-525: The SPLC as hate groups . On Facebook, Johnson posted an angry and "disjointed" post against White people on July 2, several days before the attack. NBPP head Quanell X said after the shooting that Johnson had been a member of the NBPP's Houston chapter for about six months, several years before. Quanell X added that Johnson had been "asked to leave" the group for violating the organization's "chain of command" and espousing dangerous rhetoric, such as asking

2628-604: The Wall of Presidents, a special display area celebrating the prayer and thanksgiving words of American presidents. Below the chapel is the Hall of Thanksgiving, which tells the story of the American Thanksgiving tradition. The Hall of Thanksgiving is the exhibition, meeting, and resource center for Thanks-Giving Square. The pillared hall receives dignitaries and provides a forum for lectures, interfaith meetings, and educational programming. Artifacts on display include

2701-443: The aftermath, police investigated Johnson's body and equipment. He was found lying next to a rifle, two handguns, additional rifle magazines, and a bag filled with supplies. Police had initially located Johnson within the college by following a trail of blood he had left behind as he climbed to the second floor, bleeding from a wound he had sustained on Lamar Street. After the standoff, investigators discovered that Johnson had scrawled

2774-402: The ancient spiral of life. The entrance to the chapel is at the end of a 125- foot (38 m ) bridge that runs over a cascading waterfall. The chapel ceiling contains the stained glass "Glory Window", one of largest horizontally mounted stained-glass pieces in the world. The 73 panels of faceted glass were designed by Gabriel Loire of Chartres , France featuring warmer and brighter colors as

2847-601: The attack on their headquarters, but later said they believed only one person was involved and the reports of multiple suspects had resulted from him changing positions during the attack. The only clearly identified suspect communicating with police gave his name as James Boulware. News reports confirmed that Boulware was arrested in Paris, Texas , in 2013 after a report of family violence, and several firearms he owned were also confiscated. Boulware's family members then reported to authorities that they were concerned that he might go on

2920-610: The building that I envisaged would carry great meaning for another two hundred years. The Thanks-Giving Foundation was started to create a public space in the center of Dallas dedicated in gratitude to God and to this most ancient and enduring tradition. Partnering with the City of Dallas, construction began in 1973 and the Square was dedicated in November 1976 as one of the city's three United States Bicentennial projects. President Gerald Ford later recognized Thanks-Giving Square as

2993-516: The bullets Johnson fired on the second floor were easily penetrating the drywall , making it impossible for the negotiators to find safe cover, and posing a risk to any students who might have remained in the building. Johnson shouted “Black supremacy! Black liberation!” and began firing on police officers when they initially cornered him in the hallway. As the officers began asking Johnson questions, Johnson said he would speak to Black police officers only and repeatedly referred to himself as "X". When

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3066-402: The decision was allegedly based on a single sexual harassment allegation. The lawyer was evidently unaware of the grenade and other contraband discovered in Johnson's possession shortly before he was repatriated to the United States from Afghanistan as well as other factors in Johnson's possibly redacted record. On the advice of his attorney, Johnson waived his right to a hearing in exchange for

3139-571: The east from where Johnson initiated the shooting spree; and Elm Street to the north where Johnson eventually entered the college. Around 8:58 p.m. Johnson parked his SUV sideways on Lamar Street, in front of the east entrance to the college, at Building A, and left the vehicle hazard lights blinking. At the time, the street had been cleared out in anticipation of the protest. Taking cover at street level, he began shooting at groups of police and protesters who were gathered on Main Street. Johnson

3212-521: The first of several traffic-relieving complexes in downtown Dallas. The Bullington Truck Terminal, one of the key features in the Ponte-Travers-designed plan for downtown circulation, was constructed to consolidate street-level delivery trucks following Dallas' rapid growth in the 1960s. By placing truck traffic below-grade, it was estimated that 350 trucks per day would be removed from ground-level streets. The city issued $ 6.5 million for

3285-404: The hallway and claiming to have planted bombs throughout the city. Later searches of downtown Dallas found no evidence of explosives. After several hours of negotiations, police determined that Johnson could not be persuaded to surrender and that they could not "wait him out" any longer because he might charge officers in the narrow hallway at any moment, as he had done several times earlier. So,

3358-460: The hook that I had with him was that I was an African-American male." Five officers were killed; nine other officers and two civilians were injured. Most of the victims were shot during the protests, and at least one other during a shootout. The dead comprised four DPD officers and one Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) officer. Four of the injured officers were from DPD, three were from DART, and two were from El Centro College . Seven of

3431-445: The incident. Four suspicious bags were found at the police headquarters, one of which contained pipe bombs . Another bag exploded while being moved by a police bomb disposal robot, and a third bag found under a police vehicle was detonated by an explosive ordnance disposal team. At 6:19 a.m., the headquarters building was confirmed clear of all explosives. Dallas officers initially stated that up to four suspects were involved in

3504-480: The injured officers were treated at Parkland Memorial Hospital . Two officers underwent surgery. One civilian was shot in the back of the leg, breaking her tibia. The officers killed were identified as: This was the deadliest single incident for law enforcement officers in the United States since the September 11 attacks , surpassing two 2009 shootings in Lakewood, Washington , and Oakland, California , which each left four officers dead. Micah Xavier Johnson

3577-760: The largest since the Young Brothers massacre of 1932 killed six officers in Missouri. Approximately one year before the shooting, a different attack was perpetrated against the Dallas Police Department (DPD) which The New York Times likened to the 2016 shooting, comparing their outcomes and the armament of the perpetrators. Several officers were involved in both incidents. On 13 June 2015 at approximately 12:30 a.m., 35-year-old James Lance Boulware (October 26, 1979 – June 13, 2015) parked an armored van in front of DPD headquarters, which

3650-559: The letters "RB" and other messages in his own blood while making his way up a stairwell. Police investigated the markings made by Johnson, but did not conclusively determine if they had any special meaning. Asked about the remarks Johnson made during the negotiation, Sgt. Gordon later reflected, "I think he was angry...and he felt powerless, I think. And that's why I think he took the rifle and took it upon himself to attack us. Because he felt powerless, and he wanted to die to show...because he says he's doing this for his people...And I think

3723-466: The move” through speech, song, and dance. The aluminum and gold ring and nearby text reference this message found in Psalm 100. This area regularly holds special events, memorial services, and citywide prayer vigils (such as the one held after the 2016 shooting of Dallas police officers ). The Grove is a garden area designed for meditation and contemplation. In 1991, President George H.W. Bush dedicated

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3796-401: The negotiator, Sgt. Gordon, told Johnson that he was Black, Johnson initially responded, "No way." Johnson told Sgt. Gordon that he served overseas in the military. At one point, as negotiations deteriorated, Johnson told Sgt. Gordon, "The talking is over. It's time for a revolution, brother. If you are my brother, turn your weapon on those behind you." Johnson said that he had acted alone and

3869-530: The officers at the end of a protest against the recent killings by police of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana , and Philando Castile in Falcon Heights, Minnesota . Johnson fled to a building on the campus of El Centro College , where police killed him several hours later with a bomb attached to a remote-controlled bomb disposal robot . It was the first time U.S. law enforcement used

3942-464: The pillar, then ran over to the other side of the pillar to flank Thompson and shot him multiple times from behind, killing him. Johnson, injured during the firefight, attempted to enter the Lamar Street entrance of the college by shooting out the glass door but was unable to make his way in. He wounded two campus police officers who were near the doorway inside the building. Corporal Bryan Shaw

4015-422: The police up. The standoff continued as SWAT officers used a .50-caliber rifle to disable the engine block of the armored van. The standoff ended when a sniper fired additional rounds into the vehicle, killing the driver. Police subsequently sent in robots that used water charges in an attempt to make entry into the vehicle, which succeeded in breaching the windshield . Police were then able to verify that

4088-563: The project as part of the 1972 city bond program; construction was finished in 1977. The city-owned truck terminal lies 50 feet below ground and contains 43 spaces for trucks, which enter from a portal located at Patterson Street. Adjacent buildings such as the Republic Center , Energy Plaza , Thanksgiving Tower and Fidelity Union Tower built connections to the truck terminal at their own expense and use it as their primary loading dock. Despite plans for several similar facilities in

4161-408: The protest march, some wearing gas masks , bulletproof vests , and fatigues , according to Dallas Police Chief David Brown . Most of the events happened in the streets and buildings around El Centro College , which forms a city block composed of multiple buildings. The block is bordered by Main Street on the south where the protest march was taking place; Lamar Street (now Botham Jean Blvd.) to

4234-414: The repositioning. Thanks-Giving Square After a lengthy global search, Peter Stewart, a Dallas businessman and one of the founders of the Thanks-Giving Foundation, chose architect Philip Johnson to design the project. A symbolic structure was the key part of the program for the square, and it became pretty obvious soon that some of these top architects didn't have the background or feeling for

4307-483: The section beneath Thanks-Giving Square is operated by the City of Dallas. The network is accessed from the Center Court of Praise during business hours. Escalators bring the network to ground level at Bullington Street, which serves as a pedestrian mall and connects to the Bullington-Akard Skywalk. As of 2016, many of the access points had been closed. Thanks-Giving Square was originally planned as

4380-409: The spiral reaches its apex in the center. The window appears in a shot in director Terrence Malick 's 2011 film The Tree of Life . Above the entry door is the etched glass window "The Spirit of Thanksgiving," designed by glass engraver John Hutton . Artwork by artist Bjørn Wiinblad is also on display. Visitors are encouraged to leave a personal statement of gratitude upon entering. A major node of

4453-468: The suspect was the only person in the vehicle, and that he was dead. Police robots also used water charges to disable two sets of pipe bombs found in the van. Due to concerns that the van, which was identified as a purpose-built "Zombie Apocalypse Assault Vehicle and Troop Transport" with gun ports and armor-plated windows, was booby-trapped with explosives, police then destroyed the van in a controlled explosion. No police officers or civilians were injured in

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4526-478: The tactical team deemed that approach too dangerous. They also considered rappelling down the building or attacking Johnson through the ceiling after opening it with explosives. Both options were ruled out due to the risks they might pose to the officers who would carry it out. Senior Corporal Jeremy Borchardt and others ultimately arrived at the idea to use a bomb disposal remote control vehicle armed with about 1 pound (0.45 kilograms) of C-4 explosive. The plan

4599-492: The team began considering several tactical plans to end the standoff. Sr. Cpl. Banes said they considered using a .50 caliber rifle to fire at the shooter, which had been successful in the 2015 attack approximately one year earlier. However, in that case, the suspect had driven an armored truck into police headquarters and remained inside the vehicle. Johnson was holed up inside a populated college with thin Sheetrock walls, so

4672-426: The time. Johnson was then placed under 24-hour escort, which was reportedly a shameful and ostracizing experience, before being temporarily moved to Bagram Airfield on May 3, but he did not have enough time to pack all of his belongings. While soldiers were emptying Johnson's quarters and packing his belongings for him on May 14, they discovered an unauthorized single M430I High Explosive Dual Purpose 40mm grenade ,

4745-516: The undergarments and attempted to dispose of them in a nearby dumpster. He then lied that a female civilian acquaintance gave the underwear to him, but the female soldier confirmed that they were in fact hers. The female soldier told investigators that she and Johnson had been platonic friends for five years, but had stopped talking to each other. She described their relationship as being tumultuous and involving fights and disagreements. She specifically recalled one incident where Johnson punched out

4818-411: The way. A civilian recorded video of the encounter from his hotel balcony on Lamar Street. The video showed Johnson, clad in tactical clothing and armed with a rifle, loading his rifle and firing indiscriminately to draw officers near his position. When Thompson approached a corner, Johnson engaged him in a gunfight, forcing Thompson to take cover behind a concrete pillar. Johnson fired towards one side of

4891-598: Was activated at the rank of private first class in September 2013 in support of the War in Afghanistan , where he was deployed from November 2013 to July 2014 with the 420th Engineer Brigade . People who knew Johnson during his time in the Army described him as openly religious and often socializing with white soldiers. A squad leader , who trained Johnson in tactical maneuvers and protection in 2009 and 2010, described him as "klutzy", "goofy sometimes", and "a nice guy", but also quiet and unmotivated. Documents released by

4964-490: Was believed to have talked to three of the officers he shot before he first opened fire. Three officers were killed in the initial gunfire, while at least three others and a civilian were injured. Eleven officers fired back. During the shooting, officers, unaware where the shots were coming from, scrambled to block intersections and were exposed to gunfire as a result. Immediately afterwards, Johnson made his way north on Lamar Street, encountering Officer Brent Thompson along

5037-515: Was born in Magee, Mississippi and raised in Mesquite, Texas . He once described his childhood as "stressful" during a VA visit on August 15, 2014, but further details were redacted on the visit report. When he was four, his parents divorced. Johnson transferred into John Horn High School when he was 17 and participated in its Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program, according to

5110-450: Was commissioned to bring the vision of Thanks-Giving Square to life. The Square is set fifteen feet below ground level with a four-foot wall blocking the sight of automobiles to create a serene, green island. Water plays a prominent role in the landscape, with active fountains masking city noise. Overt religious symbolism is intentionally absent from the decoration of Thanks-Giving Square. Granite markers include references from Scripture, and

5183-509: Was not part of any group. According to Chief Brown, Johnson appeared delusional during his standoff; "We had negotiated with him for about two hours, and he just basically lied to us, playing games, laughing at us, singing, asking how many did he get and that he wanted to kill some more." However, Sgt. Gordon indicated in an interview that the shooter "wasn't delusional" and that "he was very lucid, seemed to be very sane and very in control". Johnson repeatedly taunted police by goading them into

5256-426: Was shot in the stomach underneath his bulletproof vest , while Officer John Abbott was hit by flying glass in the legs. Johnson then made his way to Elm Street where he shot out another glass door and entered the college unseen; he then made his way to Building B. Hearing the shattering glass, one of the injured campus officers, Corporal Shaw, made his way through the building and discovered a trail of blood leading to

5329-455: Was to move the robot to a point against a wall facing Johnson and then detonate the explosives. The device exploded as intended at approximately 2:30 a.m., killing Johnson immediately. It was the first time that explosives strapped to a robot had been used in American domestic law enforcement.  Although its arm sustained damage in the blast, the robot was still functional. In

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