OK: Unruly crowd gathers at standoff (100+ pelt cops w/rocks, shot(s?) fired @ murder arrest effort)

Tulsa World ^ | April 15, 2007 | Jeff Billington

[Stoat]

Unruly crowd gathers at standoff

Members of the Tulsa Police Special Operations Team team bring in an armored vehicle as they surround a murder suspect barricaded inside the Morning Star Apartments complex late Saturday.
 

4/15/2007

 

Police surrounded a north Tulsa apartment Saturday night attempting to take a murder suspect into custody.

Units from across the city were called in to help disperse a large crowd that had gathered, with some in the crowd reportedly throwing rocks and firing a weapon toward police and others near where the suspect had holed up.

The suspect, Rico Starks, 18, barricaded himself inside an apartment at the Morning Star Apartments, 2201 N. Hartford Ave., at about 7 p.m., refusing to comply with police demands that he surrender.

Officer Scott Walton couldn't confirm reports about rocks being thrown and shots being fired from the crowd, but KOTV, channel 6, cameraman Dominic Armstrong, who was in the middle of the melee when it began, said he was standing next to a vehicle that was hit by shots fired from the crowd. He also said several people in the crowd grabbed a reporter from another television station by her hair and threw her to the ground.

Police wouldn't confirm who was holed up in the apartment, but the suspect's grandmother, Lucretia Lewis, who had driven from Dallas, confirmed it was Starks. She said he was alone in the apartment, but didn't know if he was armed or not.

 

"I had tried to get him out. We talked to him, trying to talk him into giving himself up," Lewis said. "I came here to talk to him, and they won't let me."

Starks was charged in early Febru5 ary with second-degree murder in the slaying of Mark Jordan, 18.

In January, a charge of shooting with intent to kill was filed against Starks.

Additional police, some wearing riot gear and carrying batons, were called from other districts to help deal with the crowd, which numbered about 200. The Special Operations Team and armored personnel carrier, along with the department's helicopter, were also dispatched to help with the situation.

Walton said the additional officers were needed to help secure a perimeter around the apartment complex and provide security for officers attempting to get Starks to surrender.

"Early on, there was a lot of chaos, and we didn't know what we had," Walton said.

By 11 p.m., police had established contact with Starks and were negotiating for his surrender

[Stoat]

I’m delighted to hear that things went well and that you weren’t treated to the same level of ‘hospitality’ that many others have suffered in similar circumstances.

[Stoat]

North Tulsa is where ‘disadvantaged inner-city youth’ live

I've heard other FReepers say that Tulsa is quite a nice city.  Apparently the crime is fairly well contained in specific areas....I will be sure to bear that in mind if I come to visit   :-)

 

[oneamericanvoice]

I thought the mantra was, “No justice, no peace.”
Police bringing suspected murderer to justice get assaulted! And Blacks wonder why there are so many of them in jail.

[B-Chan]

Running away is no solution. Sixty years of white flight has proven that.

[Roccus]

When we left the garage that morning, we told the boss, “Reginald Denny doesn’t ride in this truck. One way or another, even at the cost of body parts hanging on the grille, this truck will be back this afternoon.” Fortunately, it never came to that.

[Unicorn]

right NaPPY Hair.

[Bulldawg Fan]

Sharpton denounce the crowd action yet????? Of did he denounce as racist the capture of this murderer?

[Bulldawg Fan]

Just fence it off and let em at it.

[Bulldawg Fan]

Self appointed “community leaders?”

[Stoat]

My daughter was a paramedic, and when the ambulances were called to the projects, there was always a crowd - lots of people standing around with nothing to do. Every so often, something would set them off and they’d attempt to overturn the ambulance, assault the EMTs, etc. You’re talking about a very mindless crowd that simply hangs out all day waiting to cause trouble.

Although I'm an EMT, I don't work areas like that but I have heard many horror stories of EMS workers who do.  Wearing body armor is common, as is being threatened or shot at when they respond to 'certain areas'.

Gang-bangers don't want you helping the person they just shot, they want him to die.

There is definitely an underbelly of society that thoughtful people need to avoid at all costs.  It's not racism, it's self-preservation.

 

[taxesareforever]

LOL

[Stoat]

In other news, community leaders complain about a lack of economic opportunity in the community surrounding Hartford Ave

I suppose that when a particular segment of society spends much of their time applying graffiti to schools and breaking the windows and stealing the contents as opposed to attending and learning there, it becomes difficult to put two and two together.

Adding armor plating to the stoatmobile seems to be something worth considering, unfortunately.

 

[Parley Baer]

The above poster is correct. It is about “the man”. Or the struggle against “the man”. Unfourtunately there are too many Blacks who believe in it. Geraldo Rivera is one who joined the Blacks who where “down for the struggle.”

[dfwgator]

I suppose that when a particular segment of society spends much of their time applying graffiti to schools and breaking the windows and stealing the contents

Yep, that wouldn't look too good on a resume.

[Larry Lucido]

Long as no one got called a nappy headed ho.

[labette]

In today’s Tulsa World, there are 17 full pages of help wanted ads....

And the big front page story is “Report scolds 2 area gun shops” and quotes the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

I’m not kidding, folks.

[SALChamps03]

You hit the nail right on the head. In the black community at large (though I’m sure there are many blacks who are ashamed of this fact) you will be supported, no matter what your crime, simply because you’re black.

[Stoat]

Yep, that wouldn't look too good on a resume.
 

Yes, and being the 'hood champ at 'draining a forty', impregnating various women, none of whom are beholden unto you via the traditions of marriage, as well as your skills at breaking-and entering a domicile or place of business whose ownership paperwork does not include your own name also fails to gain the respect of most prospective employers, last time I checked..

It's racism on the employers' part, pure and simple.

[livius]

Or maybe it’s the Colt 40 and the bottom of the gene pool...and the state support that enables the latter to enjoy the former.

Every time I drive by that place, I feel so depressed about the future of the human race that I can barely make it to the next block.

[livius]

Gang-bangers don't want you helping the person they just shot, they want him to die.

That was what was truly strange, since at any moment, they themselves could have been in that same position.

When I lived in New York, one of my friends in the office was a black woman who lived in Harlem and whose sister was a nurse at Harlem General. Her sister had to deal with all the garbage that was brought in after gang shoot-outs, etc. One time, she had a lightly injured gang banger on a stretcher cussing her out because he wanted a glass of water while she was dealing with somebody who had a gut wound. When she went by him, she leaned down and hissed in his ear, "I hope you die." He didn't, for better or for worse, but it made her feel soooo good to say this!