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CNN Live Today
Riots Erupt on Streets of Small Michigan Town
Aired June 18, 2003 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, ANCHOR: And up first this hour on CNN, riots erupt on the streets of a small Michigan town. Police in Benton Harbor plan to impose a citywide curfew today after a second night of violence. Residents took to the streets in anger over the death of a motorcyclist during a police chase.
We begin with this report from Chris Tye of CNN affiliate WZZM.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHIEF SAM HARRIS, BENTON HARBOR POLICE DEPT.: They threatened to destroy the city, in essence. And so far they have made that attempt.
CHRIS TYE, WZZM (voice-over): It picked up again at 5:00 Tuesday afternoon. A small crowd turned into a larger one. And soon ...
HARRIS: And it's gotten to the point now that they're shooting at us. And as a result, we've called in additional resources from the state police.
TYE: Some of these crews came from over 10 miles away to help. A state police expert on crowd control was flown in to help develop a plan. All while the hundreds lining the streets got more violent, sending a mother and her 6-year-old to a hospital, attacking a television photographer and setting fire to three more homes. At 10:00 p.m., things changed when the governor declared this an official state of emergency.
HARRIS: All state resources are available to us. It also, if necessary, allows to us call up the National Guard.
TYE: At 1:00 a.m., eight arrests were made. By 3:30, things started to quiet down. And if this happens again tonight, police say they will instill curfews and being a much more aggressive approach.
HARRIS: We are going to try not to give up what we have taken. And people are going to go to jail now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Our Jeff Flock is rushing to the scene there and he is going to be checking in later at this hour with a live report. So stay with us. We will find out what is happening there today.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired June 18, 2003 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, ANCHOR: And up first this hour on CNN, riots erupt on the streets of a small Michigan town. Police in Benton Harbor plan to impose a citywide curfew today after a second night of violence. Residents took to the streets in anger over the death of a motorcyclist during a police chase.
We begin with this report from Chris Tye of CNN affiliate WZZM.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHIEF SAM HARRIS, BENTON HARBOR POLICE DEPT.: They threatened to destroy the city, in essence. And so far they have made that attempt.
CHRIS TYE, WZZM (voice-over): It picked up again at 5:00 Tuesday afternoon. A small crowd turned into a larger one. And soon ...
HARRIS: And it's gotten to the point now that they're shooting at us. And as a result, we've called in additional resources from the state police.
TYE: Some of these crews came from over 10 miles away to help. A state police expert on crowd control was flown in to help develop a plan. All while the hundreds lining the streets got more violent, sending a mother and her 6-year-old to a hospital, attacking a television photographer and setting fire to three more homes. At 10:00 p.m., things changed when the governor declared this an official state of emergency.
HARRIS: All state resources are available to us. It also, if necessary, allows to us call up the National Guard.
TYE: At 1:00 a.m., eight arrests were made. By 3:30, things started to quiet down. And if this happens again tonight, police say they will instill curfews and being a much more aggressive approach.
HARRIS: We are going to try not to give up what we have taken. And people are going to go to jail now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Our Jeff Flock is rushing to the scene there and he is going to be checking in later at this hour with a live report. So stay with us. We will find out what is happening there today.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
