Investigators in Texas reportedly believe that the sniper who shot and killed five Dallas police officers Thursday had legally purchased the weapons he used in the massacre either on the Internet or at a gun show.
(FOX)- A law enforcement official told The Wall Street Journal on Monday that Micah Johnson used an Izhmash-Saiga 5.45 mm high-powered rifle in the attack. The weapon is a variation of an AK-style military weapon.
The official said that Johnson was also carrying a Glock 9mm semiautomatic pistol and a .25-caliber semiautomatic pistol. However, it was unclear whether he had fired them in the attack.
Dallas police said Friday that during a search of Johnson’s home, detectives found bomb making materials, ballistic vests, additional rifles, ammunition and a personal journal of combat tactics.
According to The Journal, officials recovered 1 pound of Tannerite, a powder marketed to make exploding targets for shooting practice, and a can of acetone, that could be mixed with other material to make explosives.
The official said it was unclear when the purchases were made and that there were no restrictions that would’ve barred Johnson from buying guns legally. The official told the paper that Johnson was very active on several gun websites and discussed them in different online chat rooms.
Investigators believe that Johnson originally planned a much larger attack. Law enforcement source told WFAA-TV over the weekend that the Army veteran changed his attack plan so the shootings would coincide with the police protests over the recent killings of African-American men at the hands of officers.
“He knew what he was doing. This wasn’t some novice,” Dallas police Chief David Brown said Monday, referring to the explosives that were found in the home Johnson shared with his mother.
On Saturday, the Associated Press reported that Johnson received training from a private self-defense school that teaches firearm tactics, including “shooting on the move.”