ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, November 15, 1996 TAG: 9611150071
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-5 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: ST. PETERSBURG, FLA.
SOURCE: Associated Press
For two weeks, members of a black separatist group called for the ``execution'' of a white policeman for the fatal shooting of a black motorist, threatening to ``burn this city down'' unless the officer was charged and fired.
The shooting itself had touched off rioting Oct. 24, so police took the threats seriously. They scoured the streets for days, clearing trash bins and alleys of six tons of rocks and bottles they believe the group stashed as ammunition to use against them.
And on Wednesday, the day a grand jury cleared the officer, police prepared to arrest group leaders so they would spend the night in jail.
But the strategy may have backfired: The group leaders were arrested in front of their headquarters, in full view of already seething protesters.
Within hours, two police officers were wounded by gunfire and seven other people were injured as people angrily took to the same streets where they rioted last month, after Officer Jim Knight shot 18-year-old TyRon Lewis through Lewis' tinted windshield.
Rioters tossed Molotov cocktails, sparking dozens of fires. At least 29 were confirmed, said Fire Chief Jim Callahan. A homeless man was burned when an abandoned house caught fire, and two firefighters suffered smoke inhalation. Fires did at least $1 million in damage, he said. Police arrested nine people, mostly for looting.
On Thursday, Police Chief Darrel Stephens faced angry questions from City Council members.
``I'm furious. I am sorry, but I am furious,'' council member Connie Kane said. ``Why have we waited so long to say that law and order is going to prevail?''
Stephens defended the police.
``Our effort was not aimed at provoking violence,'' he said. ``Our effort was aimed at doing whatever we could to prevent violence.''
This time, the violence was less widespread, but more intense. Police responding to reports of trouble were met with bullets, rocks and bottles. Passers-by were attacked with concrete and bottles. Police used tear gas and barricades to try to break up the groups.
LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. An armed sheriff's deputy runs past a riot-sparkedby CNBfire in a body shop in south St. Petersburg on Wednesday.