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Mayor Garcetti On Baton Rouge Police Shootings: 'There Is No Justification For Taking Lives Of Officers'

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is condemning a shooting in Baton Rouge, Louisiana that left three police officers dead and three others wounded.

"I condemn this violence in the strongest possible terms," Garcetti said in a statement. "There is no justification for the taking of the lives of officers who were in their communities doing their job today."

A motive for the killings was not immediately known, but comes weeks after police in Baton Rouge fatally shot Alton Sterling, a 37-year-old black man who police allege had a gun as he wrestled with two white officers.

Following Sunday's shootings, Garcetti said officials would be adding resources to make sure that the Los Angeles Police Department and other public safety agencies are supported.

"This includes doubling our air assets, shifting Metropolitan Division officers to a role of force protection to help back up patrol officers responding to calls for service, and adding additional resources to help screen our 911 calls," he said.

He added:

"Our collective voice must rise up to condemn this latest shooting in what is unfortunately becoming a horrifying trend.

"The City of Los Angeles is committed to building and deepening relationships. We will not be deterred from our mission to protect our communities, support our police officers, and strengthen constitutional policing in our city. We will continue that work with an open door in our neighborhoods, in City Hall, and in our police stations.

"Too many days recently, our hearts are aching as a result of unthinkable violence in our country, but we cannot turn away from our mission to protect and to serve. We must turn to each other and the urgent work that remains. God bless the fallen officers and their families, and we will not be deterred."

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