The suspected sniper who killed five police officers and wounded two civilians following a peaceful Black Lives Matter [5] march in Dallas was killed when police deployed an explosives-rigged robot into the parking garage where he was holed up. Police say there were hours of fruitless negotiations before the robot outfitted C4 explosive was sent in. Associated Press [6] said this "appears to be the first time US police have used a robot for lethal purposes. As such, it may represent the latest escalation in the use of remote and semi-autonomous devices by law enforcement." Ironically, the robot was ostensibly procured by the police force for "bomb-disposal" purposes. This apparent first use of a killer robot in domestic policing comes as human rights groups are calling for restrictions [7] on their use in actual warfare.
The deceased suspect, Micah Xavier Johnson, 25, is an Army veteran whose tour of duty in Afghanistan was cut short by a sexual harassment complaint last year. (Dallas Morning News [8], The Root [9], Military.com [10])
