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dallas shooting

Man identified as person of interest in Dallas shooting speaks out, is no longer a suspect

Hours after his photo was circulated by police and he was named a person of interest in the Dallas shooting, Mark Hughes is no longer a suspect.

The picture showed Hughes wearing a camouflage shirt with a rifle slung over his shoulder. The Dallas Police Department tweeted the photo and said he was a suspect, adding, "Please help us find him!" Not long after, his brother, Cory Hughes, was interviewed by CBS Dallas-Forth Worth, and explained that his brother had been at the protest against officer-involved shootings open carrying, which is legal in Texas, and did not shoot anyone. Cory Hughes also said he told his brother after the shooting to give his rifle to law enforcement, to avoid any problems. "His gun was never fired," he said. "Now he's on the national news like he's a suspect, and that is a threat to his life."

Mark Hughes told CBS Dallas-Forth Worth that once he found out he was a suspect, he immediately flagged down a police officer and told him who he was. He was released at about 1 a.m. Friday morning. "I don't know what to say," he said. "I can't believe it. I can't believe it. … In hindsight, 20/20, I could have easily been shot."