Obama to Cut Short Europe Trip, Will Visit Dallas Next Week

The US President called the Dallas ambush a “tremendous tragedy”.

President Barack Obama addressing the overnight shooting of Texan police officers in a protest rally on 8 July. (Photo: AP)

US President Barack Obama will cut short his trip to Europe and travel to Dallas next week in the wake of the deadly ambush in the city that left five police officers dead, the White House has said.

“The president has accepted an invitation from Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings to travel to Dallas early next week,” spokesman Josh Earnest said in a statement on Friday. He added that Obama would return to the US on Sunday night – one day ahead of schedule.

Obama was in Warsaw this week to attend a NATO summit.

‘Vicious, Calculated and Despicable’

From Warsaw, Obama said he had spoken with Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings to extend his condolences and offer support after snipers killed five police officers and wounded six more in a coordinated attack in the city.

We still do not know all the facts; what we do know is there has been a vicious, calculated and despicable attack on law enforcement. We also know when people are armed with powerful weapons, unfortunately it makes attacks like these more deadly and more tragic. In the days ahead, we are going to have to consider those realities as well.

<b>Barack Obama</b>

A Dallas police officer, who did not want to be identified, takes a moment as she guards an intersection in the early morning after the shooting on 8 July. (Photo: AP)

Obama said he told Rawlings that the federal government would provide the city with any assistance it may need as it deals with this “tremendous tragedy”.

Obama said his team is keeping him updated on the investigation and that he would have more to say as additional details about the attack are learned.