White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said Monday that “no form of expression” justified two gunmen opening fire on police officers who were guarding a Muhammad cartoon-drawing contest Sunday in Garland, Texas.
Earnest told reporters aboard Air Force One that President Barack Obama was informed last night about the confrontation, which left a security officer injured and the two gunmen dead.
“We have seen extremists try to use expressions that they considered to be offensive as a way to justify violence not only in this country but around the world,” Earnest said, according to a White House pool report. “In the mind of the President there is no form of expression that would justify an act of violence.”
The press secretary also praised the police officers for taking swift action against the gunmen.
“We saw a pretty important and notable display of bravery on the part of first responders and … because of their courage the only person that was injured by these gunmen was a security officer,” Earnest said, according to the pool report.
