President Obama Describes Dallas Shootings As 'Vicious, Calculated, Despicable Attack'

Speaking in Poland, he said the five officers' deaths are "senseless murders."

ByABC News
July 8, 2016, 5:12 AM

— -- President Barack Obama has described the Dallas shootings as a "vicious, calculated, despicable attack." He made the comments while speaking to reporters Friday morning in Warsaw, Poland.

Snipers shot at police officers at a demonstration in Dallas on Thursday night, killing five and injuring seven others.

Obama described the killings as a "tremendous tragedy" and as "senseless murders."

He said of the suspects, "We will learn more about their twisted motivations. Let's be clear: There is no possible justification" for the attacks.

He promised that "justice will be done."

The president continued, "Let me just say, even as yesterday I spoke about our need to be concerned as all Americans about racial discrimination in our criminal justice system, I also said our police have an extremely difficult job and the vast majority do their job in outstanding fashion."

And in a nod to the heated issue of gun control, he said, "We also know when people are armed with powerful weapons, unfortunately it makes attacks like these more deadly and more tragic. And in the days ahead we are going to have to consider those realities as well.”

Obama, who arrived last night in Warsaw for a NATO Summit, is receiving regular updates on the situation in Dallas, according to White House press secretary Josh Earnest.

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