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| Barack Obama condemns killing of three police officers in Baton Rouge shooting | Barack Obama condemns killing of three police officers in Baton Rouge shooting |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| Three police officers were killed after a gunfight in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Sunday and three injured, one critically. The gunman was also killed, and police said they do not believe any other suspects currently threaten the city. | |
| Related: Gavin Long, identified as Baton Rouge gunman, left online trail and alias | Related: Gavin Long, identified as Baton Rouge gunman, left online trail and alias |
| Barack Obama condemned the shooting and said attacks on police were “attacks against all of us and the rule of law that makes society possible”. | |
| At about 8.40am officers responded to a report of a man with a rifle and wearing black by a convenience store, state police colonel Mike Edmonson told reporters late on Sunday. Two minutes later, shots were reported over police radio, a recording of which was posted online. | At about 8.40am officers responded to a report of a man with a rifle and wearing black by a convenience store, state police colonel Mike Edmonson told reporters late on Sunday. Two minutes later, shots were reported over police radio, a recording of which was posted online. |
| “Supposedly a lady came up and said there’s a subject walking with a coat and an assault rifle behind the store,” one officer tells another on the recording, just before a second shouts on the line: “Shots fired, officer down! Shots fired, officer down!” | “Supposedly a lady came up and said there’s a subject walking with a coat and an assault rifle behind the store,” one officer tells another on the recording, just before a second shouts on the line: “Shots fired, officer down! Shots fired, officer down!” |
| A gunfight erupted between officers and the suspect, and within minutes it was over, with the gunman dead by a car wash nearby the highway. A chorus of voices on the radio continued: “He is not in sight. Possible sniper.” | A gunfight erupted between officers and the suspect, and within minutes it was over, with the gunman dead by a car wash nearby the highway. A chorus of voices on the radio continued: “He is not in sight. Possible sniper.” |
| Before long, an officer reports: “I’m hit. I’m right in front of it. By the car wash.” | Before long, an officer reports: “I’m hit. I’m right in front of it. By the car wash.” |
| “We believe the person who shot and killed our officers, he is the person who was shot and killed at the scene,” Edmonson said. | “We believe the person who shot and killed our officers, he is the person who was shot and killed at the scene,” Edmonson said. |
| Although officials said they did not believe there was a shooter still active in the city, police major Doug Cain said: “We are not ready to say he acted alone.” | Although officials said they did not believe there was a shooter still active in the city, police major Doug Cain said: “We are not ready to say he acted alone.” |
| By late on Sunday afternoon, police had blocked off an enormous swathe of territory, about a mile in every direction from the scene of the shooting. | By late on Sunday afternoon, police had blocked off an enormous swathe of territory, about a mile in every direction from the scene of the shooting. |
| Cedarcrest Baptist church sat inside the perimeter. The church was full and in service when the shooting started, said Martha Ann Caver, who plays the piano there. Her husband, Neal, is the pastor. | Cedarcrest Baptist church sat inside the perimeter. The church was full and in service when the shooting started, said Martha Ann Caver, who plays the piano there. Her husband, Neal, is the pastor. |
| “The police locked us in, and we just carried on,” she said. “We just kept singing, even though we were afraid.” | “The police locked us in, and we just carried on,” she said. “We just kept singing, even though we were afraid.” |
| Numerous aircraft – both helicopters and airplanes – circled overhead as she talked. | Numerous aircraft – both helicopters and airplanes – circled overhead as she talked. |
| “People are frightened,” she said. “It’s a difficult time for the city.” | “People are frightened,” she said. “It’s a difficult time for the city.” |
| An employee of a Walgreens drug store sat on the perimeter, unsure whether to wait for an all-clear or go home for the day. He declined to give his name because Walgreens had not given him permission to speak on the matter, but said that at the time of the shooting police stormed the drug store to take shelter. | An employee of a Walgreens drug store sat on the perimeter, unsure whether to wait for an all-clear or go home for the day. He declined to give his name because Walgreens had not given him permission to speak on the matter, but said that at the time of the shooting police stormed the drug store to take shelter. |
| Related: Baton Rouge: police officers 'feared dead after shooting in Louisiana' - live updates | Related: Baton Rouge: police officers 'feared dead after shooting in Louisiana' - live updates |
| Later, he said, officers swept the store looking for perpetrators and moved all the employees to a nearby Walmart, where they spent the rest of the day. | Later, he said, officers swept the store looking for perpetrators and moved all the employees to a nearby Walmart, where they spent the rest of the day. |
| At the afternoon press conference, Sheriff Sid Gautreaux gave a few details about the victims of the shooting. He said two Baton Rouge police officers, ages 41 and 32, died of injuries, as did a 45-year-old sheriff’s deputy. Two deputies, ages 41 and 51, were wounded. One 41-year-old officer was wounded and remained in critical condition. | |
| His voice breaking, Gautreaux pleaded for unity around a nation reeling from protests over the murder of five police officers in Dallas earlier this month, at a peaceful rally to protest police abuses. | His voice breaking, Gautreaux pleaded for unity around a nation reeling from protests over the murder of five police officers in Dallas earlier this month, at a peaceful rally to protest police abuses. |
| “To me this is not so much about gun control as it is about what’s in men’s hearts,” Gautreaux said. “And until we come together as a nation, as a people, to heal as a people. If we don’t do that and this madness continues, we will surely perish as a people.” | “To me this is not so much about gun control as it is about what’s in men’s hearts,” Gautreaux said. “And until we come together as a nation, as a people, to heal as a people. If we don’t do that and this madness continues, we will surely perish as a people.” |
| Obama forcefully condemned the shooting in two statements, one delivered on national television to the nation. “Right now we don’t know the motive of the killer,” he said. We don’t know whether the killer set out to target police officers.” | Obama forcefully condemned the shooting in two statements, one delivered on national television to the nation. “Right now we don’t know the motive of the killer,” he said. We don’t know whether the killer set out to target police officers.” |
| But regardless of motive, the president said, attacks on police are “attacks against all of us and the rule of law that makes society possible”. | But regardless of motive, the president said, attacks on police are “attacks against all of us and the rule of law that makes society possible”. |
| “Five days ago I traveled to Dallas for the memorial service of the officers who were slain there,” he continued. “I said that that killer would not be the last person who tries to make us turn on each other. It remains upon us to ensure that they fail.” | “Five days ago I traveled to Dallas for the memorial service of the officers who were slain there,” he continued. “I said that that killer would not be the last person who tries to make us turn on each other. It remains upon us to ensure that they fail.” |
| The president urged Americans to temper their language and actions, especially at upcoming political conventions. | |
| “We don’t need inflammatory rhetoric. We don’t need careless accusations,” he said. “Only we can prove that we have the grace and the character and the common humanity to end this kind of senseless violence.” | “We don’t need inflammatory rhetoric. We don’t need careless accusations,” he said. “Only we can prove that we have the grace and the character and the common humanity to end this kind of senseless violence.” |
| Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee who recently called himself “the law and order candidate”, released a statement on that theme and later said, via Twitter: “President Obama just had a news conference, but he doesn’t have a clue. Our country is a divided crime scene, and it will only get worse!” | Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee who recently called himself “the law and order candidate”, released a statement on that theme and later said, via Twitter: “President Obama just had a news conference, but he doesn’t have a clue. Our country is a divided crime scene, and it will only get worse!” |
| In the wake of high-profile shootings, police forces across the US have had increasingly strained relations with the communities they serve – particularly with African Americans, who are disproportionately likely to be killed by police. | In the wake of high-profile shootings, police forces across the US have had increasingly strained relations with the communities they serve – particularly with African Americans, who are disproportionately likely to be killed by police. |
| Baton Rouge was the site of a recent police shooting of a Alton Sterling, a 37-year-old black man, and subsequent protests against perceived police brutality and accompanying arrests. | Baton Rouge was the site of a recent police shooting of a Alton Sterling, a 37-year-old black man, and subsequent protests against perceived police brutality and accompanying arrests. |
| Earlier in the afternoon a Baton Rouge police corporal, L’Jean McKneely, told media officers had used a bomb-defusing robot to secure the scene of the shooting. Federal law enforcement and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms have joined the investigation. | Earlier in the afternoon a Baton Rouge police corporal, L’Jean McKneely, told media officers had used a bomb-defusing robot to secure the scene of the shooting. Federal law enforcement and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms have joined the investigation. |
| US attorney general Loretta Lynch promised the full cooperation of the federal government in a statement. “For the second time in two weeks, multiple law enforcement officers have been killed in the line of duty,” she said. “There is no place in the United States for such appalling violence, and I condemn these acts in the strongest possible terms.” | |
| “Our hearts and prayers are with the fallen and wounded officers, their families, and the entire Baton Rouge community in this extraordinarily difficult time.” | “Our hearts and prayers are with the fallen and wounded officers, their families, and the entire Baton Rouge community in this extraordinarily difficult time.” |
| Multiple news outlets, citing anonymous sources, named the gunman as Gavin Long of Kansas City, Missouri, though the Guardian could not independently confirm the account. | Multiple news outlets, citing anonymous sources, named the gunman as Gavin Long of Kansas City, Missouri, though the Guardian could not independently confirm the account. |
| Related: Fears in Baton Rouge underscore growing racial tension across US | Related: Fears in Baton Rouge underscore growing racial tension across US |
| Kip Holden, the mayor of East Baton Rouge Parish, alluded to criticism of Obama’s reaction to protests over police shootings when he said “This is a sad day in Baton Rouge” and added that people should “let peace prevail”. | Kip Holden, the mayor of East Baton Rouge Parish, alluded to criticism of Obama’s reaction to protests over police shootings when he said “This is a sad day in Baton Rouge” and added that people should “let peace prevail”. |
| “The president has acknowledged this violence,” Holden continued. “Let me say unequivocally … the president has responded to the needs of Baton Rouge. Not only that, the agencies you see here have always been partners with the state police, the sheriff’s office and the city police. | “The president has acknowledged this violence,” Holden continued. “Let me say unequivocally … the president has responded to the needs of Baton Rouge. Not only that, the agencies you see here have always been partners with the state police, the sheriff’s office and the city police. |
| “We are one family, all seeking justice for all of our people. So let me thank the president and [adviser Valerie] Ms Jarrett for the calls we got.” | “We are one family, all seeking justice for all of our people. So let me thank the president and [adviser Valerie] Ms Jarrett for the calls we got.” |
| Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards spoke last at the press conference. | Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards spoke last at the press conference. |
| “The hatred just has to stop,” he said. “I wish the command of the English language that I have were adequate to the task to convey the full range of the emotions I am feeling.” | “The hatred just has to stop,” he said. “I wish the command of the English language that I have were adequate to the task to convey the full range of the emotions I am feeling.” |
| “We have to do better,” he added. “An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us. And the people who carried out this attack, these individuals, they do not represent the people of Baton Rouge, or of Louisiana, or of our country. | “We have to do better,” he added. “An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us. And the people who carried out this attack, these individuals, they do not represent the people of Baton Rouge, or of Louisiana, or of our country. |
| “There simply is no place for more violence. It doesn’t help anyone, it doesn’t further the conversation, it doesn’t address any injustice perceived or real. And we are not going to tolerate any more violence.” | “There simply is no place for more violence. It doesn’t help anyone, it doesn’t further the conversation, it doesn’t address any injustice perceived or real. And we are not going to tolerate any more violence.” |