WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09), co-chair of the Congressional Law Enforcement Caucus, released the following statement this morning in response to the killing of five police officers last night in Dallas, TX.

"I am heartbroken for the five police officers who were murdered in Dallas last night and for the other officers injured in this heinous attack. I can’t even begin to imagine the fear that family members of law enforcement confront every day of what their loved ones will encounter when they go off work. And yesterday, many families’ worst fears became reality.

No group of people should be subjected to targeted attacks. There is simply no justification for these actions, which deepen the gap in the trust that exists between law enforcement and the communities they serve. As co-chair of the Congressional Law Enforcement Caucus, I will make sure I do everything I can to help bridge this gap while continuing to protect our brave men and women in law enforcement.

My good friend and civil rights icon Congressman John Lewis once said that ‘We must move our feet, our hands, our hearts, our resources to build and not to tear down, to reconcile and not to divide, to love and not to hate, to heal and not to kill.’

We must recognize the anger and frustration that many Americans are feeling right now, and I know that living true to these words is easier said than done. But these ideals are worth striving for together for the sake of our families, our children, our communities, and our country."