*Amid the chaos in Dallas Thursday night, police released to the media the photo of a man identified as a “person of interest.” He was photographed walking among the protesters while carrying a rifle across his shoulder.
This is one of our suspects. Please help us find him! pic.twitter.com/Na5T8ZxSz6
— Dallas Police Depart (@DallasPD) July 8, 2016
Texas is an open carry state, meaning anyone can carry a registered firearm out in the open. Police say they were sent photos of the man after at least two gunmen opened fire on the officers from a rooftop, eventually killing five in what has become the deadliest attack on U.S. police since 9/11.
Turns out the person of interest was Mark Hughes, an activist for open carry. He eventually turned himself in and was cleared of any involvement in the shootings, but he is not happy with his five minutes of notoriety.
A local TV station tracked him down and spoke with him on camera. Hughes said he was laughing and joking with police officers before the ambush. Hughes claimed police took him into custody and interrogated him, falsely claiming to have surveillance footage of him firing a weapon.
“It was persecution on me,” he said. “I could’ve easily been shot.”
Hughes said he’s hired a lawyer.
Watch his interview below:
KTVT found the man Dallas Police earlier called a shooting suspect. He’s pissed. pic.twitter.com/wXhmGektYo
— Matthew Keys (@MatthewKeysLive) July 8, 2016
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