Police in Knoxville confronted a crowd of 300+ blacks on Independence Day this past Tuesday night. It didn't end well for the police, as they were attacked by more than two dozen blacks. These blacks celebrated concepts of freedom, liberty and July 4th by shooting fireworks at police (two suffering injuries) and reminding any who reads this story that Africans in America believe they can do anything they want with few consequences.
These blacks also targeted pedestrians who had the misfortune of passing near the large crowd of Africans in America, and they also fired fireworks at cars as they drove passed the revelers (no doubt overwhelmed with a deep sense of pride and patriotism). [Lonsdale crowd shoots fireworks at Knoxville police; 2 arrested, Knoxville News-Sentinel, July 5, 2017]:
Knoxville Police Chief David Rausch said he plans to meet with church pastors and other community leaders in the Lonsdale community after several officers were attacked with fireworks by a crowd of several dozen people Tuesday night.
Two Knoxville Police Department officers suffered minor injuries, and two people were arrested on charges that include inciting a riot.
"It wasn't just firing fireworks off. We had those calls throughout the city," Rausch said Wednesday. "They were firing fireworks at people and at vehicles, making for an extremely dangerous situation. Our officers that responded to the initial calls were attacked by having fireworks shot at them.
"We're talking about serious, high-grade explosives - the types that go up in the air and provide professional-looking expositions and explosions. It wasn't a firecracker or a sparkler."
The chief said responding officers estimated the crowd at more than 300 people within a four-block area. Some among the crowd reportedly were carrying firearms, although there were no reports of gunfire, the chief added.
About 11:45 p.m. police were met by multiple groups of people who shot "very large fireworks directly at officers," according to an arrest warrant filed by KPD Officer Dylan Williams. "Large mortars were thrown directly at me from a group. ... This group had been told numerous times to leave the area."
Williams chased down one person holding a firework, and was attacked by a group of as many as two-dozen people as he attempted to take the man into custody.
"Immediately there were 20-25 juveniles and adults surrounding me and kicking and punching my body and head, as well as attempting to pull me off of the defendant," Williams wrote in the arrest warrant.
The suspect, identified by police as Jayron Mobley, 21, was arrested on charges of inciting a riot and evading arrest.
"Other officers arrived and pushed the defendants away and we took Mobley into custody," the warrant states. "(Mobley) then continued to yell and scream as we took him to the patrol car.
"The suspect's actions before and after arrest directly contributed to the 30-40 other suspects' behavior becoming much more agitated and more violent."
A juvenile female relative of Mobley also was arrested on charges of inciting a riot and assault, police said.
Williams suffered scrapes to his arm during the scuffle.
KPD Sgt. Sam Henard was injured when another group shot a firework at him, burning through his boot and injuring his toe, a KPD news release states.
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A male juvenile wearing a mask and carrying a backpack with fireworks was taken into custody. He was cited for violation of curfew and released after his fireworks were confiscated, KPD spokesman Darrell DeBusk said.Mobley, who has no local record of previous arrests, was released on bond Wednesday morning. He is set for arraignment July 12.
Recent efforts to stop the violence
The city has proposed to donate $1 million in land acquired between Minnesota and Texas avenues and Sherman and Stonewall streets, and has also pledged some $1 million in infrastructure improvements toward the Emerald Youth Foundation's planned community center in Lonsdale.
Last week, Rausch and NBC's "The Voice" winner Chris Blue were among several speakers at Knoxville's second Save Our Sons summit aimed at eliminating violent deaths among boys and young men of color.
"It's deeper than just fireworks," Rausch said Wednesday. "We've been doing a lot of work in this community to keep tensions down, and to work with each other.
"We all know, this is an area that is challenged. This is an area where we've seen homicides, where we've seen issues. It just tells us we've got more to do."
Do you get why the southern states (and many cities in the north) had
sundown laws now?
A male juvenile wearing a mask and carrying a backpack with fireworks was taken into custody. He was cited for violation of curfew and released after his fireworks were confiscated, KPD spokesman Darrell DeBusk said.
