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'We need names' | Dallas County DA asking for help identifying officers who fired 'less lethal' rounds during summer 2020 protests

Investigators are looking into three specific incidents that all happened on Saturday, May 30 in a 12-minute time period.

DALLAS — More than a year and a half after the protests in the summer of 2020, the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office is still investigating police officers who allegedly committed criminal wrongdoing, according to Dallas County Criminal District Attorney John Creuzot.

The D.A.'s office said it is looking into three specific incidents that all happened on Saturday, May 30 over the course of a 12-minute time period. Creuzot said his office is working to identify both the police officers involved, as well as two of the people hurt.

On that day, there were peaceful demonstrations in downtown Dallas that turned into clashes between protesters and police a little more than an hour before the incidents officials are investigating.

Later in 2020, Dallas would see other protests, including a rally on the 5-year anniversary of Sandra Bland's death; North Texas residents traveling to Washington D.C. for the March on Washington 2020 and protests in Dallas following the announced charges against the former police officer who killed Breonna Taylor.

RELATED: SMU student-athletes march on campus in support of Black lives

In an announcement Wednesday, the district attorney's office said it has video and photo evidence from the three May 30 incidents. It is now asking for the public's help to identify the victims, as well as the officers who allegedly fired "less-lethal" ammunition.

Investigators have until May 30 of this year to take legal action against any officers, according to Creuzot.

“We have never stopped working on these cases, and we will not stop working on them until they are charged or the statute of limitations runs out on May 30, 2022,” Creuzot said. “To present the best case possible, the DA’S Office needs to know the identity of these individuals, and we need the public’s help."

There are three main incidents the Office is focused on that all happened on May 30, 2020 between 5:30 p.m. and 5:42 p.m.

Incident 1

This incident happened in the parking lot at 416 S. Ervay Street at 5:30 p.m. Officials with the D.A.'s office said an unknown male appeared to be hit in the buttocks by "less-lethal" ammunition. 

In the video, you can hear the sound of a loud "pop" before the person the district attorney's office highlighted in the video starts to hop away towards the left side of the screen.

Incident 2

This incident happened on 400 S. Ervay Street, near the Dallas Public Library, at 5:38 p.m. Officials said a police officer shot Brandon Saenz with "less-lethal" ammunition, which resulted in Saenz losing an eye.

In the video, you can see a group of protesters marching down the street before you hear a loud "pop," as Saenz then falls to the ground. Protesters then start running away.

In June 2020, Saenz talked with WFAA before speaking with Dallas police detectives about his situation.

RELATED: Dallas police should stop use of 'less-lethal' weapons during protests, lawsuit says

Incident 3

This incident happened on 300 S. Ervay St., near the intersection with Wood Street, at 5:42 p.m. Officials said an unknown male appeared to be hit in the groin by "less-lethal" ammunition. 

In the video, the person shot is difficult to see, but you can hear a loud "pop" before people watching the situation comment on what just happened.

RELATED: Dallas police to limit use of force against protesters, report reveals

The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office also included photos of bystanders who were near the three incidents in the hopes they can help identify some of the people involved. 

Editor's note: The photos below include the witnesses investigators are trying to reach out to, none of whom include anyone directly involved in the incidents.

After these “less-lethal” rounds were fired, the district attorney's office said the officers should have done the following, under the Dallas Police Department’s protocol (which was in effect in May 2020): 

  • collect the projectile fired if feasible
  • get medical help for the person hit
  • notify a supervisor on the scene that they discharged their weapon
  • complete a BlueTeam report detailing the incident by the end of their shift

None of these steps were taken, according to the district attorney's office.

“From everything we have, we believe this activity is illegal and unjustified,” D.A. Creuzot said. “We need names, we need a person.”

The D.A.’s Office said it recognizes and respects the duty of the police to keep the public safe, but added the videos show incidents of "alarming behavior."

“We can’t get justice for Brandon (Saenz) through the criminal justice system because we don’t know who shot him, and we should know that," Bryan Mitchell, with the district attorney's Public Integrity Unit, said. "If policies and procedures were followed, we should know.”

RELATED: Dallas to consider adopting citywide racial equity plan

WFAA contacted the Dallas Police Department for a statement on the D.A.'s investigation. They sent the following:

"We respect the District Attorney’s office decision to further their investigation surrounding the conduct of officers during the protests. The Dallas Police Department’s Public Integrity Unit turned over all the evidence relating to this investigation."

Meanwhile, anyone who has additional information, video evidence or identifiers, is asked to contact the D.A.’s Office at: protestreport@dallascounty.org or call 214-653-3714.

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