The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) grieves, along with the nation, last night’s devastating events in Dallas, Texas where a mass shooting on law enforcement took place in a week already filled with tremendous tragedy and loss. During peaceful protests in response to the recent fatal shootings of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Philando Castile near St. Paul, Minnesota, sniper attacks killed five police officers and wounded seven others, as well as two civilians, in a reprehensible and deplorable attack.
“We are horrified by these attacks and stand with the people of Dallas and the families of the slain officers,” said Sherrilyn Ifill, President and Director-Counsel of LDF. “There is no justification for wanton and indiscriminate violence against law enforcement.”
LDF’s sincere condolences go out to all of the families and loved ones of each of these victims. While all of the details regarding this national tragedy and its aftermath remain unclear, the loss of life this week has left a deep and certain wound for many. The Dallas Police Department, widely praised for its handling of yesterday’s otherwise peaceful rally, has also been touted as a department that has made significant, positive reforms in policing practices.
“As we mourn the tragic loss of life in Texas, Louisiana, and Minnesota, we remain hopeful that the fractured relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve can and will be healed,” Ifill said.
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Founded in 1940, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization and has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP Legal Defense Fund or LDF.
