THOUGHTFUL

Obama ‘Deeply Troubled’ by Cop Shootings

“We’ve seen such tragedies far too many times.”

President Obama addressed the recent police shooting deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile during his visit to Poland on Thursday night. "All of us as Americans should be troubled," Obama said. He emphasized that the recent incidents should not turn individuals against the entirety of law enforcement. "To all of law enforcement, I want to be very clear: we know you have a tough job. We mourn those in uniform who are protecting us who lose their lives." Obama continued saying: "To be concerned about these issues is not political correctness, it's being an American."

Earlier in the day, he released a statement saying he was “deeply troubled” by the deaths of these two African-American men, both of whom were shot and killed by police officers this week. “We’ve seen such tragedies far too many times, and our hearts go out to the families and communities who’ve suffered such a painful loss,” Obama’s statement reads. “Although I am constrained in commenting on the particular facts of these cases, I am encouraged that the U.S. Department of Justice has opened a civil-rights investigation in Baton Rouge, and I have full confidence in their professionalism and their ability to conduct a thoughtful, thorough, and fair inquiry.”