Obama praises 'outstanding police work' that led to bombing suspect's arrest

NEW YORK — President Obama praised the "outstanding police work" that led to the the apprehension of s suspect in bombings in New York and New Jersey over the weekend, saying it was remarkable that police were able to make an arrest so quickly.

But he also continued to withhold any speculation on what might have motivated Ahmad Khan Rahami, a 28-year-old Afghan native and naturalized U.S. citizen, saying it's under investigation by law enforcement.

Obama's comments marked the second time Monday that he addressed the weekend's attacks, after a statement Monday mornning was quickly overtaken by events. Even as Obama spoke, authorities in Linden, N.J. apprehended Rahami after a gun battle outside a bar.

Two officers were injured in the fight, and Obama said he spoke to them Monday afternoon. "They are going to be fine. They sustained some modest injuries, but ones they will rapidly recover from. They’re in good spirits."

Obama also spoke with the off-duty police officer who shot a stabbing suspect at a shopping mall in St. Cloud, Minn. Saturday. The attack, which the Islamic State claimed responsibility for, was unrelated to the bombings and was being investigated as a "potential act of terrorism," he said.

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He said both actions were a "reminder of the extraordinary skill and sacrifice and courage of our law enforcement officers."

Obama spoke to reporters from his New York hotel, where he arrived on Sunday to attend the United Nations General Assembly, following a weekend that saw a pipe bomb explode in Seaside Park, N,J. a pressure-cooker bomb in New York injure at least 29 people, and attempted bombings thwarted in New York and New Jersey.

In an earlier statement, Obama urged people not to jump to conclusions about the events.

"As is my practice, I'm going to leave it to law enforcement and the FBI to provide details," he said. "In the meantime, I would ask that the press to try to refrain from getting out ahead of the investigation."

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Law enforcement officials are "moving smartly," he said, and "actually know what they're talking about."

"It does not help if false reports or incomplete information is out there," he said.

Obama seemed to choose his words carefully, putting the attacks in the context of the terrorist threat without specifically attributing them to the Islamic State.  As he has following previous "lone wolf" terrorist attacks, Obama spoke of the importance of combating the ideology that inspires such attacks.

"We're going to continue to enlist tech companies and community and religious leaders to push back against online extremist content and all messages of hate," he said.

"They are trying to hurt innocent people, but they also want to inspire fear in all of us, and disrupt the way we live, to undermine our values," he said. "We all have a role to play as citizens in making sure that we don’t succumb to that fear."

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He held out the people of New York and New Jersey as an example: "Folks around here, they don't get scared, they're tough, they're resilient, they go about their business every single day," he said. "We do not, and never will, give in to fear."