Dallas sniper shootings: 'Black Power group' claims responsibility for Dallas police killings

A Facebook page belonging to a 'black power group' has posted messages claiming that their 'assassins' killed five Dallas police officers and warned of more attacks to come. The group claiming responsibility in the hours after the deadly shootings are the Black Power Political Organization (BPPO).

Police believe that there were at least two snipers with one gunman, named as Micah Johnson, from Texas, who was blown up by a robot after telling a negotiator he had opened fire because he 'wanted to kill white people'.

Johnson had spent six years in the US Army Reserve and served for a time in Afghanistan. At least five other officers were shot and injured and two other civilians targeted from an 'elevated position' - believed to be a multi-storey car park.

The unprecedented killings took place at a Black Lives Matter rally in Texas on Thursday 7 July. The demonstration was organised in the wake of the deaths of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge on Tuesday and Philando Castile one day later in Minneapolis. Both were black men and were fatally shot by police officers.

The claims made by Black Power Political Organisation Facebook account have not been verified by authorities and Dallas Police have not confirmed any political link to the shootings.

They posted to social media: "‪#‎BlackPower! ‪#‎BlackKnights! Sniper Assassins Take Down Five Police Officers! And More Will Be Assassinated In The Coming Days!

"Do You Like The Work Of Our Assassins? Get Your Own Sniper Rifle And Join Our Thousands Of Sniper Assassins Worldwide In The Fight Against Oppression!"

Three officers Michael Kroll, Brent Thomspon and Patrick Zamarripa have been identified as being the victims of the shootings so far. It came in the week of public outrage over the deaths of two unarmed black men shot by police.

The Facebook account has since been removed by the site. Before the attacks the group had left a message on the social media site pledging to get 'revenge' for the fatal shooting of Sterling. A message said: "Don't worry my people! Justice will be served for Alton Sterling!

"We contacted the police chief Carl Dabadie Jr. He already know what will happen to him, his wife Carla Settoon Dabadie, and his two sons, if he don't do what we want. So continue to support us, and (Black Knights) sniper assassin group," the message continued.

The Black Lives Matter network released the following statement after the shootings: "This is a tragedy–both for those who have been impacted by yesterday's attack and for our democracy. There are some who would use these events to stifle a movement for change and quicken the demise of a vibrant discourse on the human rights of Black Americans. We should reject all of this.

"Black activists have raised the call for an end to violence, not an escalation of it. Yesterday's attack was the result of the actions of a lone gunman.

"To assign the actions of one person to an entire movement is dangerous and irresponsible. We continue our efforts to bring about a better world for all of us."