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CNN Live At Daybreak

No Reports of Violence Overnight in Benton Harbor

Aired June 19, 2003 - 06:02   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Someone is happy about the rain. In the words of Benton Harbor Police Chief Samuel Harris, God has blessed us; it rained. Thanks to stormy skies, hundreds of officers and an armored vehicle or two, it was a peaceful night in Michigan.
Live to Benton Harbor now and Ed Lavandera.

What do things look like now -- Ed?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, things are looking very calm, and it's hard to say exactly what was the reason why no one came out on the streets last night, whether it was the rain or the 300 police officers that showed up in force, but this is the intersection of Empire and Broadway, very calm, a very calm evening. We're told by authorities this morning there was only one arrest overnight, and that was for someone carrying a concealed gun.

This was the area here in Benton Harbor that saw some of the worst rioting on Monday and Tuesday nights, but as authorities showed up in force yesterday, helicopters in the sky above as well as 300 officers making constant patrols through these streets and everything extremely calm, so no serious incidents to report overnight. Authorities do say that they will repeat the same efforts if they have to tonight, and it looks like they will be doing that later on today as well. But they're happy with the way things turned out this evening.

And they also lend a lot of support to everything that was said yesterday, including the brother of the 28-year-old man that was killed in the motorcycle accident that spurred all of this rioting over the course of Monday and Tuesday nights. Terrance Shurn's brother saying -- asking people to remain calm and to stay inside.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAYNARD SHURN, BROTHER OF CHASE VICTIM: I cannot support the destruction of property because of the pain and frustration and anger that we all feel. So, I ask you and I beg you, please stop the violence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: So, Carol, we show you here another live picture of this neighborhood, and like I mentioned a second ago, this was the area that saw some of the worst rioting on Monday and Tuesday nights. You know, even as late as yesterday evening, one of the houses that had been burned down here on Tuesday night was still smoldering, but the rain that came in last night really put a damper on things, as well, as I mentioned before, the 300 officers that spent the evening up until about 2:00 in the morning on constant patrol through these neighborhoods -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Ed Lavandera live from Benton Harbor, Michigan this morning.

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 19, 2003 - 06:02   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Someone is happy about the rain. In the words of Benton Harbor Police Chief Samuel Harris, God has blessed us; it rained. Thanks to stormy skies, hundreds of officers and an armored vehicle or two, it was a peaceful night in Michigan.
Live to Benton Harbor now and Ed Lavandera.

What do things look like now -- Ed?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, things are looking very calm, and it's hard to say exactly what was the reason why no one came out on the streets last night, whether it was the rain or the 300 police officers that showed up in force, but this is the intersection of Empire and Broadway, very calm, a very calm evening. We're told by authorities this morning there was only one arrest overnight, and that was for someone carrying a concealed gun.

This was the area here in Benton Harbor that saw some of the worst rioting on Monday and Tuesday nights, but as authorities showed up in force yesterday, helicopters in the sky above as well as 300 officers making constant patrols through these streets and everything extremely calm, so no serious incidents to report overnight. Authorities do say that they will repeat the same efforts if they have to tonight, and it looks like they will be doing that later on today as well. But they're happy with the way things turned out this evening.

And they also lend a lot of support to everything that was said yesterday, including the brother of the 28-year-old man that was killed in the motorcycle accident that spurred all of this rioting over the course of Monday and Tuesday nights. Terrance Shurn's brother saying -- asking people to remain calm and to stay inside.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAYNARD SHURN, BROTHER OF CHASE VICTIM: I cannot support the destruction of property because of the pain and frustration and anger that we all feel. So, I ask you and I beg you, please stop the violence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: So, Carol, we show you here another live picture of this neighborhood, and like I mentioned a second ago, this was the area that saw some of the worst rioting on Monday and Tuesday nights. You know, even as late as yesterday evening, one of the houses that had been burned down here on Tuesday night was still smoldering, but the rain that came in last night really put a damper on things, as well, as I mentioned before, the 300 officers that spent the evening up until about 2:00 in the morning on constant patrol through these neighborhoods -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Ed Lavandera live from Benton Harbor, Michigan this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.