U.S. Ambassador to Libya, John Christopher Stevens was killed in an attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi on Tuesday.

According to reports, Stevens was fleeing the Consulate when a rocket-propelled grenades were loosed at his vehicle. He had left the Embassy to move to a safer location when the attack occurred. It is unclear at this time, where in the city the attack took place. Three others are reported to have lost their lives in the attack, their names have not been released.

The violence that erupted on Tuesday in Libya as well as Cairo, came on the anniversary of the September 11th, 2001 attacks in the United States. It is reported as well that the angry mobs were responding to trailers of a movie filmed by an American-Israeli real estate developer in California, Sam Bacile. The film dipicts the prophet Muhammed as a homosexual and a child molester filled with greed. The film was made with $5 million raised from Jewish donars according to Bacile. The 52-year-old Bacile, who also called Islam a cancer, is now in hiding.

The video didn’t gain international attention until Florida Pastor Terry Jones began promoting the film along with his proclamation of September 11th as “International Judge Muhammed Day.” He held a screening of the film for his followers yesterday.

Jones first gained notoriety in 2010 when he threatened to burn 200 Qurans on the anniversary of the September 11th attacks. He cancelled the event after world leaders requested that he do so. Yet, his threat caused protests in the Middle East and Asia and 20 people were killed.

But, again in March 2011 Jones held a trial against the Quran and burned a copy in the sanctuary of the Dove World Outreach Center. The burning sparked violence in Afghanistan, where the United Nations Assistance Mission was attacked and 30 people were killed and another 150 people were injured.

Jones denied any responsibility for the reprisals.

Stevens, who has worked extensively in that country, was named Ambassador to Libya on May 22nd of this year. Prior to his appointment as Ambassador, Stevens held the post of Deputy Chief of the US Mission between 2007 and 2009. He was also the envoy to the Transitional National Council during the uprising in 2011.

President Obama has released a statement on the violence that took place yesterday,strongly condemning the attacks. He called the attacks “outrageous” and also said, “I have directed my administration to provide all necessary resources to support the security of our personnel in Libya, and to increase security at our diplomatic posts around the globe,” he went on to say, “While the United States rejects efforts to denigrate the religious beliefs of others, we must all unequivocally oppose the kind of senseless violence that took the lives of these public servants.”

Presidential candidate Mitt Romney took the opportunity after the attacks to fire at Obama saying, “It’s disgraceful that the Obama administration’s first response was not to condemn the attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks.”

Obama’s campaign reponded to that comment quickly, replying, “We are shocked that, at a time when the United States of America is confronting the tragic death of one of our diplomatic officers in Libya, Governor Romney would choose the launch of a political attack.”

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also released a statement on Tuesday, shortly after the attack. She said in that statement, “Some have sought to justify this vicious behavior as a response to inflammatory material posted on the Internet,” she said. “The United States deplores any intentional effort to denigrate the religious beliefs of others. But let me be clear: There is never any justification for violent acts of this kind.”

Prior to beginning his career in the US Foriegn Service, Stevens was a Trade Lawyer based in Washington D.C. After joining the US Foriegn Service in 1991, Stevens held various posts throughout the Middle East area.

Stevens is the first US Ambassador to die at his post in over 24 years, this since the death of US Ambassador Arnold Raphel, who died in a mysterious plane crash in Pakistan in 1988 along with Paskistan’s president Zia ul-Haq.

According to reports, Ansar al-Sharia has claimed reponsibility for the attack on the Ambassador.

The facility in Benghazi has been set afire, and today most of the compound has been burned and the contents looted.