EDGARTOWN, Mass. (AP) - President Barack Obama says that while the shooting death of a Missouri teenager has prompted "strong passions," people should remember Michael Brown through "reflection and understanding."
Obama's comments came in a written statement about 18-year-old Brown. The unarmed teen was fatally shot by a police officer Saturday while walking on a street near his suburban St. Louis home.
Witnesses have said the officer was white and Brown was black. The shooting has prompted violent protests in Brown's community.
Obama says he and wife Michelle send their deepest condolences to Brown's family and community. He says the Justice Department is continuing to investigate the situation along with local officials.
The president also called on people to comfort each other "in a way that heals, not in a way that wounds. "
The statement is as follows:
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.
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