President Barack Obama said on Friday 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.

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”.

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“We still don’t know all the facts, what we do know is there has been a vicious, calculated and despicable attack on law enforcement,” Obama after a meeting with European Union leaders ahead of a NATO summit in Poland.

“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.”

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

(Reporting by Ayesha Rascoe; Editing by Alison Williams)