Illinois mob shoots fireworks at police, firefighters

[The Giant Noodle]

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."



Read more: Alton mob shoots fireworks at police, firefighters - Illinois | State & regional - bnd.com
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[ludahai]

I hope they get the guys who arranged this, file charges and make an example out of them...

 

[Real Korimyr #9]

Should've just turned the fire hoses on them. Seems like a perfectly reasonable response to me-- after all, that's where the fire was coming from.

 

[The Mark]

Should've just turned the fire hoses on them. Seems like a perfectly reasonable response to me-- after all, that's where the fire was coming from.

Sounds like a good idea...

But it sounds like that wouldn't have worked so well, as the attackers would just hide behind buildings and such.

 

[The Giant Noodle]

I hope they come back and shoot each one of them...... with love. (hey.... what IS love really?)

 

[Harry Guerrilla]

Should've just turned the fire hoses on them. Seems like a perfectly reasonable response to me-- after all, that's where the fire was coming from.

Next time, just set their houses on fire.
Gives the the firefighters a reason to be there.

 

[Deuce]

Next time, just set their houses on fire.
Gives the the firefighters a reason to be there.

Yes, setting random buildings on fire and possibly killing the inhabitants is clearly the answer!

 

[Real Korimyr #9]

Yes, setting random buildings on fire and possibly killing the inhabitants is clearly the answer!

It's called "making an example" so that the next set of slack-jawed criminal scum understand that making false reports of fire and launching anything at emergency responders is not an acceptable form of entertainment.

 

[Travelsonic]

It's called "making an example"....

In your eyes maybe [dunno what others think], but it is still pretty idiotic AND reckless, and an example of "ends justifying the means" that could seriously impact innocent people.

 

[Harry Guerrilla]

Yes, setting random buildings on fire and possibly killing the inhabitants is clearly the answer!

They are attacking emergency service workers, wasting their time which could be spent helping people who need help.

The story seems to relate to me that they are living in a government housing project.
At the courtesy of the taxpayer.
Making an example is worth the cost, if we are going to continue to baby the unproductive.

 

[ludahai]

Next time, just set their houses on fire.
Gives the the firefighters a reason to be there.

a-la Fahrenheit 451...

 

[spud_meister]

perhaps emergency services should be a little slower in answering calls from that neighbourhood in the future.