US Confirms Death Of Ambassador To Libya, 3 Others - Philadelphia News, Weather and Sports from WTXF FOX 29

The U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other embassy staffers have been killed as a result of ongoing violence there, and U.S. officials are concerned that violence may spread.

Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three of his staff members were killed Tuesday night while fleeing a militant attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi.

The violence erupted Tuesday when protesters attacked the consulate in the eastern city of Benghazi, overpowering Libyan security forces, bombing and firing on the compound, and killing one staff member.

The protesters are angry over an American film they claim insults the Muslim prophet Muhammad.

The video, produced by a U.S. citizen and uploaded on YouTube, depicts the Muslim prophet as, among other things, a womanizer.

The U.S. State Department has evacuated the compound and issued a statement condemning both attacks.

The bodies of the dead were transported to Tripoli to be flown back to the United States.

The attack in Benghazi mirrored the scene in Egypt, where protesters stormed the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.

The embassy's first response was to condemn the video, which brought a stinging rebuke from administration critics.

The administration later disavowed its own embassy's response, saying, "The statement by Embassy Cairo was not cleared by Washington and does not reflect the views of the United States government."

The ultimate fear for the administration is that Libya and Egypt may just be the beginning.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she's coordinating with other countries to ensure that the U.S. embassies and consulates elsewhere remain safe.

On Wednesday morning, President Barack Obama issued a statement condemning the attacks and ordering "all necessary resources to support the security of our personnel in Libya, and to increase security at our diplomatic posts around the globe."

"I strongly condemn the outrageous attack on our diplomatic facility in Benghazi." The four Americans "exemplified America's commitment to freedom, justice, and partnership with nations and people around the globe," Obama said.