President Obama called the mayors of Tulsa and Charlotte, N.C. Wednesday to discuss the shooting deaths of two black men by police this week and the outbreak of protests in both cities.
Obama phoned Tulsa mayor Dewey Bartlett and Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts to get an update on the protests in their cities, the White House said.
Obama offered his condolences to both mayors on the “tragic events” and affirmed the administration’s commitment to provide assistance as needed.
“The president and both mayors reiterated that any protests should be conducted in a peaceful manner and that local law enforcement should find ways to calmly and productively engage those protesting,” the White House said in a read-out of the phone calls. “The president will continue to receive updates on the situations from Attorney General Lynch and White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett.”
Violent protests erupted in Charlotte overnight after Keith Lamont Scott, a father of seven, was killed by black policeman in an apartment complex as officers searched for another man named in a warrant they were trying to serve.
The Charlotte case is just the latest in a string of controversial shootings of black men by police. Last week, police shot and killed Terrence Crutcher, an unarmed black man in Tulsa, Okla.
Protests erupted after video of the killing aired Monday.
