Attorney General Loretta Lynch commented Friday on the Dallas shootings that tragically left five officers dead and others injured.
Lynch called on Americans to take "calm, peaceful, collaborative and determined action" in light of the shootings that occurred during a Thursday-night protest against the officer-involved shooting deaths of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, La., and Philando Castile in Falcon Heights, Minn. Her comments included the following:
After the events of this week, Americans across the county are feeling a sense of helplessness, of uncertainty and of fear. These feelings are understandable and they are justified. But the answer must not be violence. The answer is never violence. Rather, the answer must be action: calm, peaceful, collaborative and determined action. We must continue working to build trust between communities and law enforcement. We must continue working to guarantee every person in this country equal justice under the law. We must take a hard look at the ease with which wrongdoers can get their hands on deadly weapons and the frequency with which they use them. We must reflect on the kind of country we want to build and the kind of society we want to pass on to our children. We must reject the easy impulses of bitterness and rancor and embrace the difficult work of finding a path forward together.
Lynch extended her condolences to the families of all the victims in this series of tragedies and encouraged those leading peaceful protests to continue to allow their voices to be heard.
"Do not be discouraged by those who use your lawful actions as cover for their heinous violence. We will continue to safeguard your constitutional rights and to work with you in the difficult mission of building a better nation and a brighter future," she said.
Watch Lynch's full comments below: