
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, April 23, 1990                   TAG: 9004230270
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A5   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: BRISTOL                                LENGTH: Short

BLACK TEEN'S DEATH PROMPTS ANGRY CROWD

State and local police in riot gear moved to calm an angry crowd after a black teen-ager was stabbed in a low-income housing project, allegedly by a white man. The victim later died.

Walter G. Brown, 17, was stabbed about 7 p.m. Sunday at the Johnson Court apartment complex and died early this morning in Bristol Regional Medical Center.

"If this had happened between two white people, it wouldn't have been any big deal," said Renee Bunche, who identified herself as a friend of Brown's. "We were concerned about our friend. You can't blame a black person for being concerned about another black person. Why did they need to call the state police in?"

Steve Witt, 29, like Brown a resident of Johnson Court, was arrested shortly after the stabbing and was originally charged with felonious assault. He was held overnight at the Bristol city jail in lieu of $100,000 bond.

Following the stabbing, a group of angry residents at the predominantly black complex threw rocks and bottles at police vehicles that converged on the development, Bristol police Chief Tom Stone said.

State police troopers and members of the Bristol Sheriff's Department were called in to help Bristol police, and authorities were joined at the complex by Mayor Jim Rector.

At about 10:30 p.m., a group of about 100 people marched down a street toward police while singing "We Shall Overcome."

The group stopped when it drew close to a wall of officers, and after a lengthy, often-heated exchange with authorities, the gathering broke up at about 11:15 p.m. without further incident.

by CNB