'I just felt it in my heart': People flock to police headquarters to honour slain officers

Catherine Johnston, torn up by the slaying of five officers in Dallas, added to the pile of flowersspilling acrossthe hood and all aroundtwo cruisers parked outside police headquarters on Saturday.

The vehicles, parked outside the busy police building,have come to symbolize the wave of support and emotion for the force.

"These are brave people, and they protect and serve us," Johnston said,her voice filled with emotion."And what happened to themis just unthinkable and it's very sad."

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"I've always had respect forthe police and just needed to come down to honour them," she said. Johnston, who was raised in Dallas and now lives about 45 minutes outside the city, said she found herself crying over and over again Thursday night and Friday.

"I just knew it was the right thing for me. I brought flowers. Ijust felt it in my heart."

The cruisers have become a makeshift memorial for those killed in the attack, and the force as a whole.Both have beensmothered in flowers,flags, teddy bearsand cards offering condolences, prayers and messages of support for the police.

"No words can eversay what the citizens of our city want to truly say to you," reads one of the blue'We unite' cards that have been plastered on one side of the two police cruisers. 'We love and appreciate your bravery."

The outpouring fromthe community certainly helps with the long and difficulthealing process, according toDallas police detective Ira Carter, who says he knew all of the officers who were killed.

"People think citizens don't really care but they do." he said. In Dallas, he said, police try to build a bridge between the community and the department.

"As policeofficershere in Dallas,we'renotsurprised,but you know it isempowering to see this manypeoplecome out and give you love andsupport."

Searches, confusion at headquarters

Yet the scene at police headquarters late Saturdayevening was a reminder of just how on edge the force remains following the shooting spree unleashed by a Micah Johnson.

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Around 5:30 p.m local time on Saturday,police shut down part of the street in front of police headquarters, yet, oddly, allowed people and the media to continue to gather at the memorial.Few details were offered but unconfirmedreports suggestedthat a masked man had been seen in the area and that shots had been fired.

Police knocked down those reports, but did confirm laterthey were conducting a systematic search ofthe police parking garage for a suspicious person. After an initial search, which included members of the SWAT team,and a secondary search by the K-9 unit, nothing suspicious was found.

Before the confusion Saturday evening, people werestreaming in to see thepolice headquarters memorial, somealone, others withfriends or family.

"With everything going on lately I don't feel that the police are getting the support that they need. I just came out to show my support," saidMelvin Lopez,a veteranwho came with his five-year-old son Kevin.

"In a way I felt it was my duty. Aveteran, a civilian, I felt it's my duty to show my support."

He said it's been difficult to try to explain to Kevin what hashappened, but he said he hasalso tried to make it clear tohim there are still a lot of good people.

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He says he wanted Kevin by his side so that that he hasa "better understandingof the importance of the job,what the police are here for."

Dallas Police Department spokeswoman Sr. Cpl. Monica Cordovasaid the force has beenoverwhelmed by the well- wishesthey have received fromthe communityand through social media, including thousands of emails.

Asked how the force is dealing with the loss, she paused for a few seconds, silenced briefly by emotion,and said simply: "We're dealing."