Here comes the ‘Weapon of War’ narrative.
Via CBS News:
The Army said Friday that a suspect in the Dallas shooting served in the Army Reserve for six years and did a nine-month tour of duty in Afghanistan.
CBS News confirmed that the suspect has been identified as Micah Xavier Johnson, 25. Johnson was killed by a robot-delivered bomb in a standoff with police in an El Centro College campus building where he had exchanged fire with officers.
Officials say they believe Johnson was the lone shooter. A law enforcement source told CBS News the suspect was armed with a SKS semi-automatic assault rifle and a handgun, CBS News senior investigative producer Pat Milton reports. The suspect also wore body armor, the source said.
Dallas police say they found bomb-making materials, ballistic vests, rifles, ammunition, and a personal journal of combat tactics Friday at Johnson's home in Mesquite, about 30 minutes east of Dallas. He is believed to have shared the home with family members.
They say detectives are in the processing of analyzing the information contained in the journal.
Authorities apparently finished an initial search of the home Friday. Agents in Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives vests were seen on Friday carrying out several bags.
The Army released a portion of Johnson's service record that said he enlisted in March 2009 and served in the Army Reserve until April 2015. After leaving the Army Reserve, he joined the Individual Ready Reserve. The IRR is where former active duty or reserve soldiers aren't required to train but are kept on Army personnel rolls with the potential of being called to duty. An IRR soldier can volunteer for short tours on active duty.
Johnson was a private first class and at the time he entered the Army gave his home of record as Mesquite, Texas, the Army said.
His military occupational specialty was carpentry and masonry, the Army said.
The Army said Johnson deployed to Afghanistan in November 2013 and returned in July 2014. For that he was given an Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star. He also earned an Army Achievement Medal, an Army Service Ribbon and an Armed Forces Reserve Medal with "M'' Device, among other standard awards for service.