"A mob spotted us and came toward us, but they were still almost 100 yards away. A few of them had guns; they appeared to be 38s and 25s. I took the Mini up, with both clips and pointedit at them. Their answer was that we were few and they were many. I shouted that I would fire on them if they came much closer, and that their guns did not have the range. I also stated that before we would go down, many of them would be on their way to Perdition. The mob then changed direction. I gave my friends the option of leaving with me, but they chose to stay. Defense of the building was being organized and some residents had both long and short arms. "
Great story. I remember that blackout well. I was home in Brooklyn visiting from graduate school in another state. The lights went out and the inner city dwellers went nuts. My uncle owned a butcher store in the city and the looting was spreading in his direction. He called to tell us he and some workers were going to defend his store (and implying he could use some help). Myself and a five friends, cousins etc. went to his shop to help guard it and if necessary repel boarders. We were lightly armed (my uncle had a 38 special pistol and a old M1 from when he was in the army (no bullets for the M1). The rest of us had baseball bats, assorted clubs, and cleavers. One guy had a samuri sword. We stood outside the shop all night watching the looters going from store to store on the other blocks. Several times small groups would get near the store and were warned away. At one point a group of them was taunting us from across the street and one of them pointed a revolver in our direction while talking his trash. He left when my buddy pointed the (empty) M1 in his direction. Late in the evening a police car showed up but said they couldn't provide any help. In the end my uncle's store was one of the few in the area that was saved and no one got hurt.
Stores on Utica Ave were burned and looted. Most of the stores on kingston were saved by armed locals. It was a tale of two avenues..