Newsletter: Today: Sniper Attack in Dallas. Eyewitnesses, Everywhere.

I’m Davan Maharaj, editor-in-chief of the Los Angeles Times. Here are some story lines I don’t want you to miss today.

TOP STORIES

Sniper Attack in Dallas

The demonstrators in Dallas were chanting, “Hands up, don’t shoot” — words of protest that have become familiar after Ferguson, Mo. Suddenly, gunfire from above rang out. Protesters ran. Police ducked behind cars. Five officers were fatally shot and six others wounded. Multiple possible suspects are in custody. Here is the latest.

Eyewitnesses, Everywhere

Baton Rouge. Minneapolis-St. Paul. Fresno. The videos of shootings by police that put those protesters on the streets also prompted President Obama earlier in the day to say, “All of us as Americans should be troubled.” With cellphones and surveillance cameras omnipresent, a new era of eyewitness accounts is here — one in which people are going directly to the public with what they saw.

More About the Shootings

-- The Minnesota woman who streamed video of her dying boyfriend likened the police to assassins.

-- The FBI is investigating after cellphone video shows police fatally shooting an unarmed man in Fresno.

The Reluctant Voter

Voters are following the U.S. presidential race at record levels, even if they’re repelled by what they’re seeing. A new poll by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center, conducted last month, shows voters were often dissatisfied with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump but had made up their minds anyway on whom to vote for. Many said they were voting against a candidate.

More Politics

-- Trump lays into GOP senators as his Capitol Hill unity tour skids.

-- The FBI’s director said the bureau did not “give a hoot about politics” in the Clinton email investigation.

A History of Hate in Boyle Heights

The Ramona Gardens public housing complex in Boyle Heights has a history of violence by Latino gang members that prompted African Americans to flee in the 1990s. Twenty years later, things seemed to be improving. Then, on May 12, 2014, came the attack: Molotov cocktails thrown inside the homes of African American families. Federal prosecutors have now charged seven Latino gang members with carrying out the violence. See the video and read the indictment here.

30 Miles Outside Riverside, Millions in the Red

A lot of commuters put down roots in the town of Beaumont. Now they’re wondering what was going on in City Hall while they drove to and from work. Earlier this year, seven former officials were arrested and charged with stealing nearly $43 million. What’s more, the new leaders have found the city is deeply in debt and are working to avoid bankruptcy.

The Freeway That Can Do It All

Picture a freeway that’s quiet, controls pollution, collects storm water, produces electricity and funds schools. Some L.A. designers have done just that. After his series of essays last year on re-conceiving the freeways, architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne received two free makeover proposals from prominent firms. Take a closer look at the first — to reimagine the Arroyo Seco Bridge in Pasadena — and let us know: Is this crazy, cool or both?

CALIFORNIA

-- A grand bargain? Gov. Jerry Brown is in talks with oil companies about climate change programs.

-- The effort to recall a judge in the Stanford rape case gains steam and political allies.

-- A suspect has been arrested in a series of attacks on homeless men in San Diego.

NATION-WORLD

-- NATO could be at its most critical point since the Soviet Union broke up.

-- Britain expects to have its first female prime minister since Margaret Thatcher.

-- As Baghdad protests over security mount, multiple suicide bombers and gunmen carried out a deadly attack on a Shiite shrine to the north.

-- China will explore outer space with its huge new radio telescope.

-- ICYMI, the Oxford English Dictionary added hundreds of new words, and TBH, it’s deffo getting wacky.

HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS

-- This location manager has an eye for turning L.A.’s hidden gems into myriad cinematic worlds.

-- The L.A. Philharmonic strikes a magical chord with “Harry Potter” at the Hollywood Bowl.

-- Oh my. George Takei did not want Sulu in the new “Star Trek” film to be gay.

-- Animation’s secret weapon: Voice all-star Jenny Slate discusses “The Secret Life of Pets.”

-- Actor Adam Devine realized the power of comedy while recovering from being hit by a cement truck at age 10.

BUSINESS

-- Hollywood Park Casino in Inglewood aims to turn around its fortunes with new digs.

-- Snapchat is sued in a lawsuit claiming that it’s too sexy for minors.

SPORTS

-- Serena Williams will face Angelique Kerber, not her sister Venus, in the Wimbledon final.

-- As Lynn Swann enters, J.K. McKay, another USC legend, exits.

OPINION

-- A necessary but frustrating delay in the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

-- After 50 years, the Freedom of Information Act needs updating.

WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING

-- A look back at the fight to end segregation in libraries. (Literary Hub)

-- An Indian immigrant deals with the land of small talk known as America. (The New Yorker)

-- One way to beat traffic: A man was fined for driving a fake ambulance through rush hour in England. (The Guardian)

ONLY IN L.A.

Snoop Dogg dropped this like it’s hot: a Lakers-themed convertible as a retirement gift for Kobe Bryant. Black Mamba won’t be able to keep a low profile in this car, which is painted in purple and gold and features images of No. 24 alongside Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Chick Hearn and more Laker greats. The biggest picture of all? Snoop himself.

Please send comments and ideas to Davan Maharaj.