An openly gay officer who fought for
change was among the victims of a sniper attack in Dallas during a
protest march against police violence.
Authorities said that five officers
were killed and seven others injured. Two civilian protesters were
also wounded in the attack.
The gunman, identified by police as
25-year-old Micah Xavier Johnson of Mesquite, Texas, died when the
police bomb squad sent in a robot after hours of negotiations failed.
According to the AP, Dallas Area Rapid
Transit (DART) officer Jesus Retana was among the wounded.
Retana, a ten-year veteran of the
agency's force, lobbied for and helped win benefits for same-sex
partners of DART employees.
Retana fought for the benefits after
his husband, Andrew Moss, became too ill to work.
The 39-year-old officer is reportedly
at home recovering from unspecified injuries.