The city, long marked by racial tension, imposed a curfew for teenagers Monday night in an effort to restore peace after the shooting death Saturday of an armed African-American man, Sylville Smith, a black police officer.
protests on the set turned violent over the weekend at least six companies have been burned, cars were burned and four officers wounded in the clashes. The damage was not as extensive, the next night, but shots rang out in three places, and a 18-year-old man who was struck in the neck was hospitalized, police said. At least seven policemen were injured, some of which were hit by rocks and bricks.
Monday morning, many residents have called for healing prayer circles formed in the area in which businesses were burned.
One night of peace for Milwaukee?
The Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said the new curfew from 10 p.m. for teenagers remain in force as long as necessary. The curfew is usually in force in the city during the school year, which begins August 31.
Late Monday night, Barrett and Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn struck a cautiously optimistic note that weekend events would not be repeated again.
"We see great progress compared to yesterday," said Flynn. Six people were arrested Monday, he added.
Barrett and Flynn credited community and religious leaders to meet with residents and calling for calm.
The tumult was confined in the northern district of Milwaukee Sherman Park, which was closed at 18 am Monday, prompting protesters to move to a park adjacent to the gas station.
At nightfall, tensions seemed to stabilize, with the exception of a few brief clashes between protesters and police in the park. Otherwise, a prayer vigil by members of a local church and Army Hi continued without incident.
Flynn noted that residents hold prayer circles and a barbecue was "certainly very encouraging."
"The vast majority of people are not interested in the damage to the where they live, "he said.
the violence over the weekend had prompted Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker to declare a state of emergency on Sunday.
What has incited violence
the protests began hours after a police officer shot Smith on Saturday.
the meeting of Smith with the police began when a pair of officers he and another person in a car Saturday afternoon at the stop, police said. the men fled the car, and officers followed, Smith shot in the arm and chest when he failed to put his weapon, Barrett said.
gun Smith, and 500 rounds of ammunition were stolen during a burglary near Waukesha in March, said the police.
police camera images showed Smith holding a handgun at the meeting, Barrett said. Police said the officer shot Smith after failing to comply with orders to put his weapon. His gun was loaded with 23 rounds, plus the officer was carrying.
Smith died at the scene, and no officers were injured. The unidentified officer who fired the fatal shots is 24 and has six years of service with the Milwaukee Police - three as an officer. It will be the administrative department in an investigation.
Smith's Kimberly Neal sister cried a brother she described as a high school graduate who played basketball, not a "man with a long criminal record" described by the police.
"It should have been tased, if anything," she said.
Under state law, the Wisconsin Department of Justice will conduct the investigation. Wisconsin was the first state to pass legislation requiring an independent investigation into the death involving law enforcement, the governor said.
"The worst place to live African-Americans'
The police shooting many festering racial tensions to the surface.
Alderman Khalif Rainey said the area was a "powder keg" for potential violence throughout the summer.
"What happened ... can not be right, and I'm not justifying it, but nobody can deny the fact that there are problems, racial problems in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which must be corrected," Rainey said. "This community of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, became the worst place to live for African Americans throughout the country"
Rainey said Saturday's violence was a byproduct of inequality, injustice, unemployment and lack of educational opportunities.
Racial tensions have long permeated the city.
Milwaukee suburb of white residents often avoid northern part, mostly black of the city, driving around.
CNN Ray Sanchez reported from Milwaukee, and Holly Yan CNN in Atlanta and Madison Park in San Francisco wrote this story. Emanuella Grinberg CNN, Lindsey Knight, Amanda Watts, Joe Sutton and Ana Cabrera contributed to this report.
No comments:
Post a Comment