Burlingame weapons expert explains use of robot in Dallas shooter's killing

BURLINGAME, Calif. (KTVU) - The Dallas sniper suspect may be the first in the United States to be killed by a police bomb robot, according to law enforcement experts Friday.

Scott Jackson, owner of Bay Area Firearms Training in Burlingame, knows guns, rifles, and explosives. He’s worked for years with various law enforcement agencies, but he says he’s never seen the tactic used by the Dallas Police Department to take down a suspect.

“Not to my knowledge,” said Jackson. “They were creative; you have to stop the shooter.”

Jackson said he spoke personally to members of the Dallas Police Department Friday morning. His sources told him a robot was used to stop the shooter, but it wasn’t a bomb that killed him.

“They used a shotgun shell with a special explosive to propel it, that’s a magnum slug that goes at least 12-hundred feet a second,” said Jackson.

The robot is allegedly one used to detect and detonate explosives. Jackson said his sources said the robot is controlled remotely. A few news outlets reported that Dallas Police may have used a C-4 explosive to kill the suspect. Jackson doesn’t think that is possible.

“No law enforcements that I have ever known around here has C4,” said Jackson.
“C4 implodes, and then explodes and the power of the explosion is just unbelievable.”

Bobby Guzman, a former Marine and trainer with Delta Tactical in Antioch, said C4 explosive is difficult to obtain.
“It’s more powerful than TNT,” said Guzman.

Dallas Police have not confirmed the exact method to kill the suspect, only that a robot was used.