DHAKA: President Obama has called for restraint after three police officers were shot dead in the city of Baton Rouge in Louisiana.

The gunman, Gavin Long, an African-American who had served for five years in the Marines, was also killed.

He had posted videos on the internet complaining about police treatment of African-Americans, BBC reports on Monday (July 18).

Tensions in Baton Rouge have been high since a black man, Alton Sterling, was shot dead by police two weeks ago.

That death and a second police shooting in Minnesota sparked protests across the United States and triggered a revenge attack by a black army veteran who shot dead five officers in the city of Dallas.

In one video, posted on YouTube, Long said that should ‘anything happen’ to him, he was ‘not affiliated’ with any group.

‘I'm affiliated with the spirit of justice, nothing more nothing less. I thought my own thoughts, I made my own decisions,’ he said.

BDST: 1658 HRS, July 18, 2016
SAS/AKA