HARTFORD - Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that, in accordance with a proclamation from President Barack Obama, US and state flags in Connecticut should be lowered to half-staff effective immediately to honor the victims of last night's attack in Dallas, Texas.

Flags should remain at half-staff until sunset on July 12, 2016.  Accordingly, since no flag should fly higher than the US flag, all state, local, municipal, corporate, and other flags should also be lowered during this same duration of time.

Governor Malloy said, "The events over the last week shock the soul.  They have been jolts to our collective conscience - both in Connecticut and nationwide - that require a moment of mass reflection.  As a society, we must look in the mirror and ask very simple questions that don't always have easy answers.  Is the horror we've witnessed over the last week really who we are - and is it who we want to be?  How is it that violence in our society has become so profoundly pervasive?  How is it that we are watching weekly - if not daily - tragedy occur?  And of course, how do we honor and remember those who have suffered through needless violence, how do we heal together, and how do we move forward to prevent this senselessness from occurring yet again?

"Our country has a proud tradition of peaceful protest, and yesterday we saw that fundamental - and fundamentally American - right exercised in cities across the nation.  We celebrate it.  What we saw in Dallas, however, was un-American, because it was police officers who sought to keep protestors safe and uphold the right to freedom of expression.  The events in Dallas twisted a proud tradition of protest and turned it into tragedy.  What happened is as saddening as it is unacceptable, and it must be condemned.

"All of the events we have seen over the last week have been heartbreaking.  As the nation grieves, we here at home must continue to foster trust.  We must continue to work together.  And we must pause to reflect on these heartbreaking incidents so we can learn from them, so that we ourselves can be better citizens and a better state.  Our officers and troopers are standing up to protect our residents every hour of every day.  And every day, either at the state or local levels, we are making strides.  Our officers and troopers should know just how much we value them, their sacrifice, and their hard work.

"We are truly grieving and praying for the victims of tragedy.  Our hearts go out to the Dallas law enforcement community, their families, as well as all of those across our entire nation who've dedicated their lives to protecting and serving our communities."

Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman said, "We are grateful to the nation's law enforcement officers for the risks they take every day on behalf of citizens.  The deaths in Dallas are horrifying - peace officers across Connecticut have voiced their solidarity with their brothers and sisters in Dallas, as do we all.  We stand with the families and friends of the fallen and the nation, which is, once again, grieving senseless loss of life."