Chris Stevens, the U.S. ambassador to Libya killed along with three others in a rocket attack outside the American Consulate in Benghazi was "a courageous and exemplary representative of the United States," President Barack Obama said in his initial statement Wednesday condemning the attack.

Initial reports said the slain embassy staffers—who also include foreign service information management officer Sean Smith—were trying to flee the consulate building when they were fired upon by protesters apparently angry over a film they say insults Prophet Muhammad.

However, U.S. officials told The New York Times and CNN on Wednesday that the attack may have been planned by a group that "had either been waiting for an opportunity to exploit like the protests over the video or perhaps even generated the protests as a cover for their attack."

[Also read: President Obama's statement on attack in Benghazi]

According to the Associated Press, a Libyan doctor who treated Stevens said the diplomat died of severe asphyxiation from smoke inhalation and that he tried for 90 minutes to revive him.

Stevens, 52, was the first U.S. ambassador killed in the line of duty since 1979, when Adolph Dubs, U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, was gunned down in a kidnapping attempt.

"Throughout the Libyan revolution, [Stevens] selflessly served our country and the Libyan people at our mission in Benghazi," Obama said. "As ambassador in Tripoli, he has supported Libya's transition to democracy. His legacy will endure wherever human beings reach for liberty and justice. I am profoundly grateful for his service to my administration, and deeply saddened by this loss."

Stevens, a California native and U.C.-Berkeley grad, was a 21-year veteran of foreign service, the White House said.

"I had the privilege of swearing in Chris for his post in Libya only a few months ago," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a separate statement. "He spoke eloquently about his passion for service, for diplomacy and for the Libyan people. This assignment was only the latest in his more than two decades of dedication to advancing closer ties with the people of the Middle East and North Africa.

[Related: 'Innocence of Muslims': The film that sparked deadly U.S. Embassy attacks]

"As the conflict in Libya unfolded, Chris was one of the first Americans on the ground in Benghazi," Clinton continued. "He risked his own life to lend the Libyan people a helping hand to build the foundation for a new, free nation. He spent every day since helping to finish the work that he started. Chris was committed to advancing America's values and interests, even when that meant putting himself in danger."

In response to the attack, the United States is "deploying elite Marine counterterrorism teams to Libya," Foreign Policy reports. The Pentagon is sending Fleet Anti-Terrorism Teams, or FAST teams, a U.S. defense official told the magazine.

"It's especially tragic because Chris Stevens died in Benghazi because it is a city he fought to save," Obama said later Wednesday morning in hastily arranged public remarks in the Rose Garden of the White House.

Speaking at an impromptu press conference in Jacksonville, Fla., on Wednesday, Mitt Romney condemned Tuesday's attacks as "disgusting" and "outrageous," but he also attacked the Obama administration for standing by a statement issued by the U.S. Embassy in Cairo that he claimed was an "apology" for American values.

[Related: Romney attacks Obama for sending 'mixed signals' on Middle East violence]

Late Tuesday, Romney issued a statement saying it was "disgraceful that the Obama administration's first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks." On Wednesday, he stood by his criticism of the White House.

hmmm, does that tactic actually work?



OMG, you monster, you pushed me down and I Bumped my head

but

I am sorry for stabbing you in the arm,,,,


lol

CONDEMN and THEN ACCEPT responsibility for own actions,,,makes sense to me,,, EXACTLY the way to gain allies,,,

How in the hell did this happen? Oh I know we have a dumb **** for a President who is to much of a coward to give the marine details guarding the Embassies in hostile areas the approval to shoot these bastards that attack the Embassy. He also cut back Embassy security around the world.

What an amateur.

lol, now THIS is because of OBAMA , but BIN LADEN is because of the work of the troops,,,

I Get it,,,

typical democrat statement... they killed this man over a movie, and we should kiss their butt and say I'm sorry? i say we use their laws on this and wipe out a few of their mosques...

u r mixing up your timelines

'we' didnt apologize for the ambassador
'we' condemned those actions


Romney, apparently wants to 'retroactively' condemn because of the ambassador (the way he 'retroactively' retired to enjoy the income without having to accept the responsibility at Bain)

condemn? thats like a teacher at school saying that was wrong, don't do it again... A few well placed missiles at their mosques would be condemning enough... if someone fires a missile at the US, then fire 8 more back at them... not real hard, and it speaks louder than words...

Barry is sending 50 Marines to keep the peace.

50 Marines that he wont let do anything. The marines providing security at the time of the riot should have been shooting the terrorists as they tried to scale the wall.

Our guys are to scared to do anything under the campaigner and chief we have now because he throws them under the bus every chance he gets.