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Mob Assaults Illinois Firefighters, Police Officers
ALTON, Ill. - An unruly mob lured emergency personnel to a housing complex near St. Louis with reports of a blaze, a shooting and other crimes, then attacked them with fireworks and bottle rockets, authorities said.
No one was injured in the onslaughts against firefighters and police in Alton on Sunday night and early Monday.
The attackers apparently intended the assaults as entertainment for a hundreds-strong crowd of adults and children who had gathered at the Oakwood Housing Complex to watch, said Mark Harris, a deputy fire chief who witnessed the attacks.
"Our firefighters got in there and started doing their thing, and out come the fireworks" including bottle rockets and Roman candles, Harris said. "It does appear we were lured in for that purpose."
There was no immediate word on any arrests or charges in the attacks.
Police Chief David Hayes told The Telegraph of Alton that the firefighters were first attacked when they responded to reports of a Dumpster fire in the small city about 10:20 p.m. Sunday.
Separately, police officers were showered with bottle rockets fired from behind buildings at the same housing complex when they investigated a call falsely claiming someone had been shot and reports of fireworks being set off.
Firecrackers, bottle rockets and other fireworks are outlawed in Illinois.
Police officers and firefighters were attacked again when they returned to the neighborhood to douse a blazing box early Monday.
Hayes said officers tried to control the assailants by using guns firing pepper balls. He said the assaults had turned his stomach.
"I'm so angry," Hayes told the newspaper. "This type of conduct is not supposed to happen in civil society."
Hayes did not immediately return calls by The Associated Press seeking comment.
Harris said the organized nature of the attacks - and its apparent entertainment value - was a particular concern.
"Helluva example for the kids," he said, adding, "the guys don't get paid near enough to be shot at."
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
No one was injured in the onslaughts against firefighters and police in Alton on Sunday night and early Monday.
The attackers apparently intended the assaults as entertainment for a hundreds-strong crowd of adults and children who had gathered at the Oakwood Housing Complex to watch, said Mark Harris, a deputy fire chief who witnessed the attacks.
"Our firefighters got in there and started doing their thing, and out come the fireworks" including bottle rockets and Roman candles, Harris said. "It does appear we were lured in for that purpose."
There was no immediate word on any arrests or charges in the attacks.
Police Chief David Hayes told The Telegraph of Alton that the firefighters were first attacked when they responded to reports of a Dumpster fire in the small city about 10:20 p.m. Sunday.
Separately, police officers were showered with bottle rockets fired from behind buildings at the same housing complex when they investigated a call falsely claiming someone had been shot and reports of fireworks being set off.
Firecrackers, bottle rockets and other fireworks are outlawed in Illinois.
Police officers and firefighters were attacked again when they returned to the neighborhood to douse a blazing box early Monday.
Hayes said officers tried to control the assailants by using guns firing pepper balls. He said the assaults had turned his stomach.
"I'm so angry," Hayes told the newspaper. "This type of conduct is not supposed to happen in civil society."
Hayes did not immediately return calls by The Associated Press seeking comment.
Harris said the organized nature of the attacks - and its apparent entertainment value - was a particular concern.
"Helluva example for the kids," he said, adding, "the guys don't get paid near enough to be shot at."
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by WestPhilly on
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Police Chief David Hayes made the following statement: "This type of conduct is not supposed to happen in civil society." He was both correct and incorrect all in one shot. Correct - this type of conduct is indeed not supposed to happen in civil society. Incorrect - his apparent assumption that the Oakwood Housing Complex bears any resemblance whatsoever to civil society.
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Permalink Reply by Jack/dt on
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If the utilities for the housing complex were to suddenly go down, perhaps attributable to the high heat or maybe even an errant roman candle, it could be a number of long, hot days before services were restored..
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The "unruly mob" would have utilities restored ten minutes after the
riotprotest.
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Main water and gas shutoffs can be located some distance from the complex, electrical shutoffs can often be done remotely from a substation, at the very least from atop a pole. I think utility shutdowns would be effective and difficult to restore by
a mobthe citizenry.
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Permalink Reply by Kirk Rains on
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Knuckle heads
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Jack,
I'm starting to think you're serious. A warden wouldn't be able to get away with that (unfortunately) with rioting prisoners trying to burn down the Big House. Ain't no way that could happen on the outside, you know, in civil society.
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Permalink Reply by Richard Armstrong on
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ya it would be nice to fire up a couple straight bores but like said the FD would be strung up for that kind of behavior.It would be nice for once to understand what goes through peoples heads sometimes.I sit back and try and figure stuff out and yet all I can can come up with is a shoulder shrug and a I don't know all the time.
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Permalink Reply by Pot Roast on
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Similar stupidity in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas (similar population) injured an Explorer over the weekend too.
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Permalink Reply by Norm Tindell on
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"We will risk nothing in an attempt to save that which is already lost." If that holds true, then the complex could burn to the ground while crews stage a few blocks away... ;=)
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Permalink Reply by Todd Seaney on
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I've talked to some troopers in the area that use to work in District 11 (East St. Louis). They have told me stories of going into a housing complex to chase people and needing to call in help just to have someone guard their cars when they entered the buildings. Some people are just nuts. Plain and simple fact. It sometimes just takes one person, or one person's acts to turn a crowd into a riot.
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