riots in michigan

The lines were drawn, and Benton Harbor became a battlefield Tuesday night. Police were on one side, rioters on the other, and in between was a burning symbol of frustration.

Police were on one side, rioters on the other, and in between was a burning symbol of frustration.


The place where a police chase ended in the death of a motorcycle rider was in flames.

Berrien County declared a state of emergency in Benton Harbor.

More than 100 officers from at least six Departments were on the scene.

One fireman, several journalists and other by-standers were injured.

The violence started Monday night.

People were outraged over what they saw as an unjust police chase, that ended in an unjust death.

28-year-old Terrance Shurn died early Monday morning.

Police were chasing him when he crashed.

Police say Shurn was speeding, had a suspended license and had a small amount of marijuana with him.

Monday night emotions overcame a crowd that had gathered to mourn Shurn. The riot started when police tried to get the group to disperse.

The situation was quiet by Tuesday morning, but violence erupted again after sundown Tuesday night.

Declaring the area a state of emergency enables the state of Michigan to send more law enforcement and possible the National Guard.

[bfp]

OK this moron runs from the police and kills himself in the process and they are going to riot about it... here is a hint, pull over and you wont die in a police chase.....this guy killed himself to get out of a ticket for driving with a suspende license???

i agree. what an idiot.

[Infrared]

That does in fact sound like an idiot. I think I'd rather get a ticket than run from police....

[johnny861]

Thas the most retarded thing I've heard of...

And rioters going off about how police chasing suspects should be banned... WTF? Have people lost their minds?


I'm sorry, but why run from a cop unless you got something to hide?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 314 people were killed during pursuits in 1998. Of this total, 2 were police officers and 198 were individuals being chased. The remaining 114 were either occupants of unrelated vehicles or pedestrians

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the fact was the police should of not chased him at all, they knew who he was, pick him up later.


70 % of high speed chases are for traffic violations, almost half the people killed in police chases are innocent bystanders.

whats not to understand?

That is a really good point.

If they have identified the subject, and capture is guaranteed, then they should not persue. I think they just get caught up in the old cops & robbers routine.

Of course though, we can't forbid police to persue criminals, that just defests the purpose of having them in the first place.

[USAcommitteeX]

If anyone hears something from this accident let it be known " never drink and drive"

Originally posted by superkool
Monday night emotions overcame a crowd that had gathered to mourn Shurn. The riot started when police tried to get the group to disperse.

The situation was quiet by Tuesday morning, but violence erupted again after sundown Tuesday night.

Declaring the area a state of emergency enables the state of Michigan to send more law enforcement and possible the National Guard.

It is a now a scary time in this nation when a local populace assembles peacefully to mourn a unavoidable death of a fellow citizen which then ends up resulting in a psuedo martial law being declared.

[Satchel]

It does seem like a good idea to at least revise the procedures of a police chase. Rioting over this is absurd though.