President Obama on Monday condemned last week’s cold-blooded murder of a Texas sheriff’s deputy, calling the killing “an affront to civilized society.”
Mr. Obama called Kathleen Goforth, the widow of Harris Count Sheriff’s Deputy Darren Goforth, while on Air Force One en route to Alaska. Deputy Goforth was shot 15 times while pumping gas Friday night, and investigators believe he was targeted simply because he was a law enforcement officer.
“On behalf of the American people, I offered Mrs. Goforth my condolences, and told her that Michelle and I would keep her and her family in our prayers. I also promised that I would continue to highlight the uncommon bravery that police officers show in our communities every single day,” the president said in a statement.
“They put their lives on the line for our safety. Targeting police officers is completely unacceptable — an affront to civilized society. As I said in my State of the Union Address, we’ve got to be able to put ourselves in the shoes of the wife who won’t rest until the police officer she married walks through the door at the end of his shift. That comfort has been taken from Mrs. Goforth. So we must offer her our comfort — and continue to stand up for the safety of police officers wherever they serve,” Mr. Obama said.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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