President Obama has released a statement on Michael Brown, the 18-year-old shot to death by police in Suburban St. Louis on Saturday.
The shooting and subsequent frustration with city and police officials over the investigation – including reluctance to name the officer involved – has led to two days of rioting and unrest in the largely black community.
On Tuesday, the president weighed in on the death and aftermath:
The death of Michael Brown is heartbreaking, and Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to his family and his community at this very difficult time. As Attorney General Holder has indicated, the Department of Justice is investigating the situation along with local officials, and they will continue to direct resources to the case as needed. I know the events of the past few days have prompted strong passions, but as details unfold, I urge everyone in Ferguson, Missouri, and across the country, to remember this young man through reflection and understanding. We should comfort each other and talk with one another in a way that heals, not in a way that wounds. Along with our prayers, that’s what Michael and his family, and our broader American community, deserve.
