Dallas Police Chief 'Convinced' Gunman Had Other Plans

The gunman who killed five police officers in a sniper attack during a mostly peaceful Black Lives Matter rally in Dallas was believed to be planning larger attacks that could have had devastating effects in Dallas and the North Texas area, Dallas police chief David Brown said in an interview on CNN Sunday morning.

"Our search of the suspect's home in Mesquite leads us to believe based on evidence of bomb making material and a journal, that this suspect had been practicing explosive detonations and that the materials was such that it was large enough to have devastating effects throughout city and our North Texas area," Brown said, speaking with CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union."

Brown said authorities are convinced 25-year-old Micah Johnson had other plans and thought what he was doing was righteous and believed he was going to make law enforcement pay for what he saw as law enforcement efforts to punish people of color.

Brown said Johnson suffered from delusions based on ramblings in a journal that are hard to decipher. Johnson also wrote the letters "R, B" in what is believed to be his own blood on the second floor of the El Centro building where police detonated a bomb robot to end the standoff that killed the gunman.

Police are trying to decipher what the initials mean.

During negotiations with law enforcement, he reportedly sang and taunted officers. Brown said he plans on releasing some of the conversation that took place during negotiations as soon as it is transcribed.

Both Brown and Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings defended the department's decision to use a bomb robot to end the standoff.

"He was clear of mind determined to hurt more officers, and without our actions he would have hurt more officers so we had no choice in my mind but to use all tools necessary, and it was about a pound of C4 to end the standoff," Brown said.

“It was a difficult decision because the safety of our police officers were in our mind, we had just lost so many,” Rawlings said speaking on CBS's "Face the Nation" Sunday. “The chief had two options, and he went with this one. I supported him completely because it was the safest way to approach it, and we talked to this man a long time and he threatened to blow up our police officers. We went to his home, we saw that there was bomb-making equipment later, so it was very important that we realize that he may not be bluffing.”

A picture has emerged of Johnson as an angry young man with a warped interpretation of the tactics of empowerment for the black community. His decision to attack was strictly at odds with the approach of the tens of thousands of supporters and members of the Black Lives Matter movement. They have succeeded in spotlighting the need for police reform through demonstrations and marches that, while disruptive, have generally been peaceful.

Asked what Brown would say to the people in Louisiana and Minnestoa protesting the killing of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile Saturday, Brown said police would give their lives to protect the activists' right to protest.

"We show our love because there's no greater love than to give your life for someone, and that's what we're continuing to be willing to do," he said. "We just need to hear from the protestors back to us, we appreciate the work you do for us, in our right to protest."

Protestors across the country participated in demonstrations speaking out against police brutality, including in major cities like Chicago, New York and San Francisco. Scores of protestors were arrested overnight, including noted Black Lives Matter activist DeRay McKesson, who was arrested in Louisiana. Around 50 people were arrested in St. Paul, and officials say 21 police officers were injured.

President Obama will visit Dallas Tuesday to deliver remarks at an interfaith memorial service at the invitation of Rawlings.

Image screenshot via CNN

Tony Cantu contributed to this report.