Obama calls families of shooting victims en route to Dallas

President Obama on Tuesday telephoned the family members of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, who were killed in separate police shootings last week in Louisiana and Minnesota.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Obama called the families while traveling aboard Air Force One, en route to the Dallas memorial service for five police officers who were killed last week. Earnest said Obama wanted to “offer his and the first lady’s condolences on behalf of the American people for the death of their loved ones.”

Obama and the first lady disembarked from Air Force One in Dallas holding hands. They were followed by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., as well as Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Texas Democratic Reps. Eddie Bernice Johnson and Marc Veasey.

Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden, as well as Betsy Price, the mayor of Forth Worth, and Clay Jenkins, a Dallas County Judge, met the Washington delegation on the tarmac.

Obama will deliver remarks at the memorial service, along with former President George W. Bush. Five police officers died and seven others were injured during a sniper attack last Thursday night at the end of a Dallas march protesting the deaths of Castile and Sterling.

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