Apparent First in U.S. Law Enforcement Use of Unmanned Ground Vehicles [July 26, 2016]   [open pdf - 162KB]

"On the night of July 7, 2016, Micah Johnson opened fire on law enforcement officers who were observing a protest against police-involved shootings in Dallas, TX. Johnson killed five officers and wounded seven. Johnson was later killed by an explosive device deployed by a bomb disposal robot (also known as an 'unmanned ground vehicle,' or 'UGV'). While the tactic is being hailed by some as an innovative way to tackle a dangerous threat and a way to save officers' lives, the Dallas Police Department (DPD) use of a robot to kill an active shooter has raised questions about what this might mean for how police use force in the future."