3rd LD Writethru: Obama says no excuse for Baltimore violence, calls for nation "soul searching"

U.S. President Barack Obama said on Tuesday there was no excuse for that kind of violence that occurred in Baltimore in the past days, calling for the country to do some "soul searching" as the race-related riots convulsed the largest city of U.S. State of Maryland.

"They're not protesting, they're not making a statement, they' re stealing," Obama told a joint press conference with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, referring to those involved in violence, looting and arson after the funeral held for Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old African American who died after suffering a spine injury in police custody earlier this month.

The black man's death had triggered week-long protests since April 19 and eventually turned into chaotic looting, arson and violent confrontations with the police.

"They're destroying and undermining businesses and opportunities in their own communities that rob jobs and opportunity from people in that area," the president said.

The public comments are Obama's first since violence began in Baltimore on Monday afternoon and continued overnight, following more than 200 arrests and 140 fires, according to the Baltimore police department.

Meanwhile, the president said that recent incidents of the use of excessive force by law enforcement officers around the country "raise troubling questions." "Full transparency" is needed on the death of Gray, Obama said.

It was important for police departments to recognize that some of them have a problem in how they deal with criminal suspects of color, he said.

"There are some police who aren't doing the right thing," he said. Rather than close ranks, he said, some police chiefs have recognized "they've got to get their arms" around the problem.

"We can't just leave this to the police. I think there are police departments that have to do some soul searching. I think there's some communities that have to do some soul searching. But I think we as a country have to do some soul searching. This is not new. It's been going on for decades," he said.

The riots started on the Monday afternoon at a mall in downtown Baltimore, where hundreds of police officers were confronted with the protesters and were pelted with water bottles and rocks.

Some fifteen police officers were wounded by rock throwing, several of whom suffered serious injuries, and nearly 20 stores and structures were burned during the riots, local police department said, adding that they were looking into the death of Gray and would release the result on Friday.

On Tuesday, most of local schools were closed and public transit was shut down in parts of the city.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency and called out the National Guard. Police from nearby towns converged to help restore order on the street.

In addition, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has declared a citywide curfew beginning 10 p.m. Tuesday (0200 GMT Wednesday). Endite