Glenville Shootout
Encyclopedia
The Glenville Shootout was a series of events of violent acts that occurred in the Glenville
section of Cleveland, Ohio
, United States
, from the dates of July 23–28, 1968. The violent acts and the deaths of seven people, and injuries of fifteen others.
neighborhood when two civilian tow truck drivers, wearing uniforms similar to police uniforms, were shot in an ambush by heavily armed snipers while checking an abandoned car. Cleveland police officers were also watching Fred Evans (1928-1978) and his radical militant group, who were suspected of purchasing illegal weapons. The shootout attracted a large crowd that was mostly black, young, and "hostile". When it became clear that the police were ill-equipped to handle the situation, Mayor Carl B. Stokes
called in the National Guard
. Before the night was over, seven were dead (three of the seven were Cleveland Police officers) and fifteen were wounded.
police officers and community leaders in the predominantly black community, to prevent further rioting and ease tensions in the area. It was the first event in American history in which only African American
police officers were sent in to deal with a violent riot or confrontation. While the police and community leaders prevented any more deaths from occurring, there was continued looting
and arson
throughout the six-square-mile area. On July 25, more police officers and the National Guard entered Glenville and by July 28, order was restored.
, a program Mayor Stokes had initiated to help revitalize Cleveland neighborhoods. Donations for the program subsequently plummeted. Despite this, however, Stokes managed to win reelection for a second term as the city's mayor.
Glenville, Cleveland
Glenville is a neighborhood on the east side of Cleveland, Ohio. It is roughly bounded between Rockefeller Park between on the west and Lakeview Road on the east, and by the Cleveland Memorial Shoreway on its the north and Wade Park Avenue to the south....
section of Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, from the dates of July 23–28, 1968. The violent acts and the deaths of seven people, and injuries of fifteen others.
The shootouts
The shootout began on the evening of July 23, in the eastern section of the GlenvilleGlenville, Cleveland
Glenville is a neighborhood on the east side of Cleveland, Ohio. It is roughly bounded between Rockefeller Park between on the west and Lakeview Road on the east, and by the Cleveland Memorial Shoreway on its the north and Wade Park Avenue to the south....
neighborhood when two civilian tow truck drivers, wearing uniforms similar to police uniforms, were shot in an ambush by heavily armed snipers while checking an abandoned car. Cleveland police officers were also watching Fred Evans (1928-1978) and his radical militant group, who were suspected of purchasing illegal weapons. The shootout attracted a large crowd that was mostly black, young, and "hostile". When it became clear that the police were ill-equipped to handle the situation, Mayor Carl B. Stokes
Carl B. Stokes
Carl Burton Stokes was an American politician of the Democratic party who served as the 51st mayor of Cleveland, Ohio. Elected on November 7, 1967, but took office on Jan 1, 1968, he was the first African American mayor of a major U.S. city. Fellow Ohioan Robert C. Henry was the first African...
called in the National Guard
United States National Guard
The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...
. Before the night was over, seven were dead (three of the seven were Cleveland Police officers) and fifteen were wounded.
Removal of white police officers
The following day, Stokes decided to remove all the White police officers from Glenville stationing only African AmericanAfrican American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
police officers and community leaders in the predominantly black community, to prevent further rioting and ease tensions in the area. It was the first event in American history in which only African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
police officers were sent in to deal with a violent riot or confrontation. While the police and community leaders prevented any more deaths from occurring, there was continued looting
Looting
Looting —also referred to as sacking, plundering, despoiling, despoliation, and pillaging—is the indiscriminate taking of goods by force as part of a military or political victory, or during a catastrophe, such as during war, natural disaster, or rioting...
and arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
throughout the six-square-mile area. On July 25, more police officers and the National Guard entered Glenville and by July 28, order was restored.
Legal issues and imprisonment
Evans surrendered to police on the morning of July 24. He was tried and found guilty of murder and sentenced to death in the electric chair. His term was eventually commuted to life imprisonment, and he died of cancer in 1978. During his trial, it was discovered that Evans had received some $6,000 in funds from Cleveland: Now!Cleveland: Now!
Cleveland: Now! was a public and private funding program for the rehabilitation of neighborhoods in Cleveland, Ohio.Former Mayor Carl B. Stokes first announced the program on May 1, 1968. Local businessmen agreed to cooperate with the city in a fundraising program to fight the problem of...
, a program Mayor Stokes had initiated to help revitalize Cleveland neighborhoods. Donations for the program subsequently plummeted. Despite this, however, Stokes managed to win reelection for a second term as the city's mayor.