Congressman calls Wash. police shooting 'senseless'

The shooting of four police officers outside Tacoma, Wash. on Sunday was a "senseless tragedy," said Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) on Monday. 

Smith, whose districts includes the town of Lakewood where the shooting took place, urged his constituents to cooperate with law enforcement in their investigation of the incident.

Smith also tweeted about the incident:

Our prayers are with the families, loved ones and colleagues of the officers killed this morning in Lakewood http://bit.ly/7c8STJ

Police are currently looking to question 37-year-old Maurice Clemmons, who was released six days before the incident while awaiting charges for child rape. Clemmons had also been accused of seven other felonies in Washington State.

In his statement, Smith did not mention former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R), who nine years ago commuted Clemmons' 60-year sentence for burglary and theft of property. 

Clemmons was previously convicted of five felony charges in Arkansas. 

In a statement released on Sunday night, Huckabee called the incident "a horrible and tragic event."

Should authorities find Clemmons to be responsible for the shootings, "it will be the result of a series of failures in the criminal justice system in both Arkansas and Washington State," he added. 

 Cross-posted to the Briefing Room