President Obama on Sunday condemned the Saturday shooting of two New York City police officers in Brooklyn.
“I unconditionally condemn today’s murder of two police officers in New York City. Two brave men won’t be going home to their loved ones tonight, and for that, there is no justification,” Obama said in a written statement.
He called on Americans to respect the police officers that serve them.
“The officers who serve and protect our communities risk their own safety for ours every single day – and they deserve our respect and gratitude every single day. Tonight, I ask people to reject violence and words that harm, and turn to words that heal – prayer, patient dialogue, and sympathy for the friends and family of the fallen,” he said.
New York police officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu were shot in the head on Saturday while sitting in a patrol car in Brooklyn. Both died on Saturday from the gunshot wounds.
The suspect, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, then shot and killed himself. On his social media accounts, Brinsley indicated that he was angry at the police over the death of Eric Garner.
