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Dallas Police Ambush Shooter Was Accused of Sexual Harassment in Military

Johnson was kicked out of Afghanistan "prematurely" because of a complaint of sexual harassment by a female soldier, his military lawyer said.
Micah Xavier Johnson, suspect who was killed after a standoff in the ambush of 12 Dallas police officers on Friday.
Micah Xavier Johnson, suspect who was killed after a standoff in the ambush of 12 Dallas police officers on Friday.via Facebook

The sniper who fatally shot five Dallas police officers and wounded seven others was accused of sexual harassment while he served in the military.

Bradford Glendening, a military lawyer who practices near Fort Hood and represented Micah Xavier Johnson, told NBC News that a female soldier in Afghanistan accused Johnson of sexual harassment in April 2014, and she requested he get mental help.

"I request that Pfc. Johnson receive mental help from behavioral health," the document describing the allegation said, according to Glendening. He also said the female soldier requested a protective order to keep Johnson away from her, her family and her home.

Related: Dallas Shooter Micah Johnson Was Army Veteran and 'Loner'

Johnson was kicked out of Afghanistan "prematurely" in July 2014 because of that complaint, Glendening said. The military said he deployed to Afghanistan from November 2013 to July 2014.

Still, military sources tell NBC News that despite the allegations against Johnson, he was not convicted of any criminal offense and received an honorable discharge from the Army in April 2015. He remained in the Army's Individual Ready Reserve, IRR.

Micah Xavier Johnson, suspect who was killed after a standoff in the ambush of 12 Dallas police officers on Friday.
Micah Xavier Johnson, suspect who was killed after a standoff in the ambush of 12 Dallas police officers on Friday.via Facebook

According to the sources, if he had anything less an honorable discharge, he would not have been permitted to join or serve in the reserves.

Glendening said Johnson submitted a plea deal conditional on a "general" discharge in September 2014. Instead, Johnson received the more favorable "honorable" discharge in April 2015. Glendening said he wasn't sure why, but it's possible it happened because his service contract expired at that time.

Related: Remembering the Victims of the Dallas Police Ambush

Johnson, 25, was killed by authorities in the early hours of Friday morning after he holed up in a community college garage in downtown Dallas following the police ambush. In a conversation with a hostage negotiator in the hours leading to his death, Johnson said he "wanted to kill white people," particularly white police officers, according to the Dallas police chief, David Brown.

The attack is believed to have been prompted by recent police shootings of African-Americans.

When police went to Johnson's Dallas-area home, they found a stockpile of weapons and bomb-making materials, police said.