Obama says U.S. to work with Jordan on full investigation of shooting

U.S. President Barack Obama said Monday the U.S. will work closely with Jordan on conducting a full investigation into a shooting incident in which two U.S. military trainers were killed.

Speaking to reporters before holding a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, Obama said "a full investigation is taking place."

"We take this very seriously and we'll be working closely with the Jordanians to determine exactly what happened," Obama said, stressing that the U.S. is paying close attention to the ongoing probe.

Obama also extended his "deepest condolences" to the families of the American victims in the shooting.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest confirmed that two U.S. military trainers, a South African trainer and a Jordanian trainer were killed Monday by a Jordanian policeman at the Jordan International Police Training Center, southeast of Jordan's capital city of Amman.

There were also two American trainers, and several other Jordanian-Lebanese individuals who were wounded, he said.

Earnest condemned the shooting as "a cowardly act," adding it only reinforces the determination of the U.S. and its partners around the world to stand up with those countries that are trying to build the kind of police force and law enforcement that's critical to preserving security and order inside their countries.

The American trainers were reported to be among the foreign military instructors on contract with the Jordanian police to train Jordanian, Palestinian and Lebanese security forces.

The gunman, identified as police captain Anwar Abu Zeid, was killed by his colleagues after the shooting. His motive for the shooting remained unknown. Endit