President Obama said all Americans should be “troubled” by this week’s two police shooting deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, which he called “symptomatic of a broader set of racial disparities” within the United States.
“We have seen news like this too many times,” Obama said. “All of us as Americans should be troubled by these shootings. These are not isolated incidents. They’re symptomatic of a broader set of racial disparities that exist in our criminal justice system.”
Speaking from Poland shortly after landing for his final NATO summit as the news back home was filled with the images Castile’s girlfriend filmed of his final moments after a police traffic stop, Obama cited statistics about black and Hispanic men being more likely to be pulled over and searched.
Yet despite speaking bluntly about the racial factors involved, Obama also warned the public against deeming police officers the enemy.
“To be concerned about these issues is not to be against law enforcement,” Obama said. “When people say black lives matter, that doesn’t mean blue lives don’t matter, it just means that all lives matter but right now the big concern is the fact that the data shows black folks are more vulnerable to these kinds of instances. This isn’t us comparing the value of lives, this is about us recognizing there is a particular burden being placed on a group of our fellow citizens, and we should care about that. We can’t dismiss it.”
He said he has received letters from police officers who feel attacked under the current political climate.
“We know you have a tough job, we mourn those in uniform who are protecting us who lose their lives,” Obama said. “There is no contradiction between us supporting law enforcement … and also saying that there are problems across our criminal justice system, there are biases conscious and subconscious that have to be rooted out. That’s not an attack on law enforcement, that’s a reflection of the values that the vast majority of law enforcement bring to the job.”
Sterling, 37, had been involved in an altercation with police outside a convenience store in Baton Rouge, La., early Tuesday morning. Officers attempted to subdue Sterling, who fought back. A video of the incident showed one officer shot Sterling at close range while he was pinned down.
Less than 48 hours later, Castile was fatally shot during a traffic stop over a tail light. Castile was in the car and informed the officer he had a concealed carry permit and was armed. As he reached for his wallet and license, the officer shot the man, claiming fear he was reaching for a weapon. His girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, was in the car with her 4-year-old daughter and videotaped the scene as Castile died.
“Please don’t tell me this, Lord. Please, Jesus, don’t tell me that he’s gone. Please don’t tell me that he’s gone,” Reynolds said in the video, which she streamed over Facebook Live. “Please, officer, don’t tell me that you just did this to him. You shot four bullets into him, sir. He was just getting his license and registration, sir.”
Protests have continued since midweek.
