Dallas Police Shootings: 'Blue Lives Matter' Says LAPD Chief Charlie Beck

Los Angeles, CA — Los Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck offered a swift response to the sniper murders of four police officers at a protest rally in Dallas Thursday night.

Beck called the shootings of 11 people in Dallas that left four officers dead a "tragedy beyond belief."

"Blue lives matter, they are willingly given and senselessly taken," Beck wrote on Twitter.

Beck's response came as the world reacted to the tragedy in which four officers were killed and seven others were wounded when snipers opened fire at a rally protesting the police killings of black men. Three suspects have been taken into custody, and another was barricaded in a parking garage late Thursday. The suspects claimed to have planted bombs around the city. Much of the attack was captured in disturbing video posted on social media.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti tweeted, "My heart goes out to the families of officers who died tonight & our hopes are with those officers and civilian fighting for their lives."

The LAPD is "closely monitoring" the situation in Dallas with officers ready to respond to any situation from any point, Officer Tony Im told City News Service.

The department is not on a tactical alert, Im said.

City News Service and Patch staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.