Dallas officer in viral photos speaks out
DALLAS - The Dallas police officer captured on a now viral photo taken the night of the deadly Dallas ambush is speaking for the first time about that night.
READ MORE: Images of DPD officer protecting man from gunfire going viral
Pictures of Officer James Dylan Smith crouching by a car with a gun in his hand on Lamar and Main went viral hours after Robert Moore posted them on Facebook.
Officer Smith said he saw Moore by himself in the street and immediately ran over to tell him to get down.
At the time, police still did not know there was only one suspect. So he was guarding Moore from any possible danger that could have been in the area.
"That's our job -- to protect people. In a situation like that, it's our job to put ourselves between the bad guy and citizens, so that's what I did," Smith said. "We still have a job to do. You have your moments to grieve. We still got jobs, gotta go to work and gotta put it in back of your mind."
Smith grew up in Rowlett and has been on the Dallas police force for 3 years. He said his instinct to protect and serve runs in the family. His grandfather and uncle are both Dallas police veterans.