DATE: Wednesday, August 27, 1997            TAG: 9708270565

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY MAC DANIEL, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE                        LENGTH:   61 lines

POLICE SHOOTING INQUIRY TO BE CLOSELY SCRUTINIZED CHESAPEAKE MAYOR PROMISES THAT THERE WILL BE NO COVER-UP

Mayor William E. Ward called for council oversight into the investigation of a shooting by police last week, demanding information and promising that a cover-up would not take place.

The shooting occurred Friday afternoon when Carlett Karim, 26, of the 200 block of Shore Side Dr., refused to drop a knife she was carrying after cutting two officers on their arms, police reports said. According to the reports, Karim, who was also carrying a bowling pin, was shot twice.

Residents, including Karim's grandmother, Wyoma Gaskins, said she was shot three times and disputed the account in the police report, which they forwarded to the council.

Karim was injured in an arm and her back and chest, and is now recovering from surgery.

Officer Dave Hughes, a spokesman for the Chesapeake Police Department, said the department had issued warrants for Karim for two counts of malicious wounding and one count of attempted malicious wounding. As of late Tuesday, Hughes said he was unsure whether they had been served.

The shooting sparked outrage in the Fernwood Shores community. Residents told the City Council Tuesday that the use of guns was excessive on a woman who was obviously mentally confused.

Many of the neighborhood residents witnessed the shooting and pleaded with Karim to drop the knife for several minutes before she was shot.

Some residents said Karim was so confused she could not understand the officers' orders to dropthe knife. Others asked why the city did not have a crisis-intervention team at the scene or realize that Karim had been picked up by police earlier that same day in a confused state.

Gene A. Moore, president of the Fernwood Shores Civic League, also said there was the possibility of a cover-up after obtaining the incident's offense report.

``There will be no cover-up,'' Ward said from the dais during the regular council meeting. ``I ask the city manager to make sure that all the facts be revealed and shared with the council.''

Ward also asked Moore to supply acting City Manager Clarence V. Cuffee with a list of eyewitnesses.

``I will push this. The council will push this. And we will talk with you very soon,'' Ward said to the Fernwood Shores residents attending the meeting.

Ward, a former resident of Shore Side Drive for 23 years, grew up with Karim and her family, he said.

Hughes could not comment Tuesday night. ``It's still under investigation,'' he said. ``That's basically all I could say right now.''

As is standard, the officer who shot Karim has been placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of the police investigation, Hughes said earlier. The police report does not specifically identify the shooter.

Minon Waller, the aunt of Karim, condemned the shooting.

``I want you to put them under a microscope - a very powerful microscope,'' she said to the council. ``Please do not sweep this under the rug, because there are those of us who will not allow it to be swept under the rug. My mother called them for their wisdom. . . . And they target the one they were supposed to help.'' KEYWORDS: CHESAPEAKE POLICE SHOOTING INVESTIGATION

CHESAPEAKE CITY COUNCIL

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