Cop Kills Black Man in Gunfight

C I N C I N N A T I, July 27, 2001 -- A Cincinnati police officer shot and killed a

22-year-old black man in a gunfight in a West Side neighborhood

early this morning.

Police said the unidentified man, armed with a shotgun, firedfirst at officer Thomas Haas, who is white. The officer was notinjured.

The shooting was the latest incident in a rash of violence thathas hit Cincinnati since three days of rioting in April over thekilling of an unarmed black man by a white police officer.

Before Friday, a total of 73 shootings since the riots had left85 people wounded or killed, compared with nine shootings and 11victims for the same period last year.

According to police Lt. Col. Ronald Twitty, officers respondedat 12:15 a.m. to a report of a man with a shotgun in the Millvaleneighborhood. The first officer did not locate the man but Haasresponded after another call was received.

Police Chief Thomas Streicher said, based on the number of shellcasings recovered at the scene, "it appears there was very activegunfire."

The man was pronounced dead at University Hospital at 12:32 a.m.

Suspect Fired at Least Two Rounds

Streiber said Haas and the suspect were 20-30 feet apart duringthe shootout.

The suspect fired at least two rounds from a sawed-off, pumpaction, 12-gauge shotgun with a pistol grip, the chief said. Haasfired his 9mm handgun and a shotgun at the suspect.

Haas was involved July 13 in a gun battle in the Over-the-Rhineneighborhood, where most of the rioting occurred.

He pursued on foot a man who police said attempted a robbery.Investigators determined that Haas fired 19 times and the man hewas chasing, Deangelo Williams, 24, of Clifton, fired at least 17times. No one was hit.

Williams was arrested and has been indicted.

Streicher described Haas as "an exceptional police officer,"who has been with the police division about eight years. Haas is abeat officer and he is not a member of the recently formed ViolentCrimes Task Force.

Haas will be placed on at least seven days paid administrativeleave while the shooting is investigated. Such a leave is routinein officer-involved shootings.