Debut of TV thriller Shooter delayed by USA Network after Dallas shooting

The USA Network is delaying, by one week, of the release of its new sniper thriller Shooter. 

The decision comes after the July 7 shooting in Dallas, that saw five police officers killed in a sniper attack by a U.S. Army vet.

The upcoming TV series, which stars Ryan Phillippe and Omar Epps, focuses on a former army sniper accused of a crime. However, in the case of the show, the shooter character is considered an American hero and is trying to clear his reputation after being framed.

The series is based on the 2007 Mark Wahlberg movie of the same name. 

Producers said they felt changing the original July 19 release date is the appropriate decision. 

"In light of recent tragic events and out of respect for the victims, their families and our viewers, we have decided to postpone the premiere date for the upcoming USA Network series Shooter to July 26," a network spokesperson said Monday in an exclusive statement to The Hollywood Reporter. 

The American cable channel faced a similar situation last year. USA Network decided to hold an episode of Mr. Robot that centred on a shooting on live television, following a real-life incident where a Virginia TV reporter and cameraman were shot dead live on air.

There are many examples from other networks as well. Recently, TNT's The Last Ship postponed its season premiere, which included a shooting scene in a Vietnamese nightclub that closely mirrored the Orlando, Fla. nightclub massacre. 

The social media response to the postponement announcement offered a sobering message about the state of violence in the U.S.