Anniversary Riot in Benton Harbor

Arrests vowed if violence occurs
More than 70 police, tear gas disperse 200 to 300 teens throwing bricks and bottles

South Bend Tribune, IN
By JIM MEENAN
Tribune Staff Writer
18 Jun 2004

BENTON HARBOR -- Benton Harbor Police Chief Samuel Harris has a message for the youth of Benton Harbor after Wednesday night's brief incident between 200 to 300 teenagers and more than 70 officers.

"If they throw rocks and bottles in our direction," he said, "they can count on some sort of response. We will no longer be gentle.

"We will give them ample warning and notification of our intent prior to our taking any action.

"We will say, 'This is an unlawful assembly and you are ordered to disperse. There are no innocent bystanders.' "

Harris said no one was arrested Wednesday, and to his knowledge, no citizens were hurt after police responded to a call claiming a large group of people were beating a person near Pavone Street and Empire Avenue.

Shortly after that, the Benton Harbor police received a second call saying shots were fired, Harris said.

At that point, four cars were put on the scene.

"People were blocking the street and throwing rocks at the squad cars," Harris said. "We pulled (the officers back) and put in our contingency plan."

A warning was then given to clear the street and that there would be no innocent bystanders, Harris said.

The contingency plan included deploying 70 officers, Harris said, from his department, the Berrien County Sheriff's Department and the Michigan State Police.

"Those who remain will be gassed," Harris then told the crowd of teens. But they started throwing bottles and bricks.

At that point, the Berrien County Sheriff's Department's armored car was deployed and it dispersed tear gas, which dispersed the crowd.

The entire incident, which began about 11:15 p.m. EDT was over in about 15 to 20 minutes, Harris said.

In contrast to a year ago, tear gas was able to be used because this year, his department had gas masks for the entire force, thanks to a United Way grant.

The tear gas was quite effective; as several youths said Wednesday, it even made its way into their nearby homes, just off of Empire, making some in the houses ill.

Harris stressed the incident was not like the two nights of civil disturbance a year ago.

"It was teenagers," he said. "It was not anything similar to a riot. The teenagers did not listen to the family (of Terrance Shurn, the man who was killed in a motorcycle chase with police, which touched off the riots a year ago) who very clearly asked them to maintain peace and order" at a vigil earlier Wednesday evening.

Harris said the police were not able to film anything with a new camera they received along with their riot gear to aid in the arrests of rioters because detectives were using it at a murder scene earlier that afternoon.

He also said they were unsure, in retrospect, if any shots were fired at Wednesday night's scene with the 200 to 300 youths prior to his department's arrival.

However, a shot was definitely fired at 6:20 p.m. Wednesday night at 1070 Superior St. in Benton Harbor.

Officers received a call of a shooting there. Upon arrival, they made contact with a suspect and victim in the front yard of the residence.

According to the department, the victim, Michael Alan Moore, 41, of 1311 Monroe in Benton Harbor, was suffering from a single gunshot wound to the upper body. An ambulance was called, and officers reported they could not detect any vital signs. Moore was pronounced dead at Lakeland Hospital, St. Joseph, upon arrival.

The weapon, a .380 semiautomatic handgun, was recovered at the scene.

The Berrien County prosecutor authorized open murder and felony firearm charges against the suspect, Rodney D. Thomas, 44, of Superior Street. He is being held at the Berrien County Jail, with no bond set as of Thursday.

It was the first homicide of 2004, Harris said, and only the fourth in the last two years.

Police have stressed the shooting and the incident with youth Wednesday were not related. Mayor Wilce Cook said Wednesday it was a domestic dispute.

Harris, as he left his office about 4 p.m. for a short rest Thursday prior to returning that night, had hopes for a much quieter night than the previous one.

"I really didn't expect it (Wednesday)," he said of the disturbance on Empire. "I don't know (if there will be something tonight) but we are prepared.

"Tonight, there are no excuses. Probably tonight after we deploy the tear gas, we will move in and start making arrests.

"If you are on the street, and we give the order to leave the street, and you remain, you are going to jail."