Christopher Stevens Diplomat and lawyer, served as US Ambassador to Libya (English)Russian. from June to September 2012. Date of Birth: 18.04.1960 Country: USA

Biography of Christopher Stevens

Christopher Stevens, also known as John Christopher 'Chris' Stevens, was born in 1960 in Grass Valley, California. He was the eldest of three children to Jan S. Stevens and Mary J. Floris. His parents divorced in 1975, and both went on to start new families.

In the summer of 1977, Stevens participated in an exchange program with AFS Intercultural Programs in Spain. He completed his high school education at Piedmont High School in 1978. Stevens went on to earn a Bachelor's degree in History from the University of California, Berkeley in 1982. In 1989, he obtained a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.

Stevens furthered his education and earned a Master's degree from the National War College in 2010. He was fluent in Arabic and French.

Before joining the Department of State, Stevens worked in various American embassies in Israel, Syria, Egypt, and several other countries. He also worked as a lawyer and was a member of the State Bar of California. Additionally, he volunteered as an English teacher in Morocco.

Stevens began his tenure at the Department of State in 1991. He had previously visited Libya in 2007 and 2009 as a career diplomat. In May 2012, he arrived in Libya as the United States Ambassador.

On September 11, 2012, during the wave of protests sparked by the provocative film "Innocence of Muslims," radical Islamists attacked the U.S. consulate in Benghazi. Stevens, along with his colleagues, attempted to seek refuge in a safe location, but the consulate building was already under siege. The main building was set on fire, and Stevens was discovered by security personnel after the smoke had partially dissipated.

In addition to Stevens, three other American citizens were killed in the attack - Foreign Service Officer Sean Smith, security agent Glen Doherty, and former Marine Tyrone Woods. Several others were injured. According to official information, Stevens died of asphyxiation. Despite attempts to revive him for an hour and a half, his life could not be saved.

Stevens became the first U.S. Ambassador to be killed on duty since 1988 when Arnold Lewis Raphel died in Pakistan. He was the 8th U.S. Ambassador to be killed on duty according to statistics.

President Barack Obama addressed the nation from the White House, promising to collaborate with the Libyan authorities to ensure that those responsible for the murder of American diplomats would be brought to justice.