Shooting Happens Outside Non Profit Party
By: Meagan Fitzgerald
Updated: November 20, 2009
Cliff Thomas wants to keep kids away from gangs ,violence, alcohol, and tobacco. So his non profit group holds positive events like Saturday's dance party.
Cliff Thomas is the CEO of Empowering Communities of America Inc. and he said, "We use it as apart of our program to reward kids for good behavior."
Thomas says every event the non-profit hosts, teens are checked by security guards for weapons. Saturday night, Thomas says everything was going well until two guys started arguing.
Thomas said, "We don't condone any violence in the facility. Saturday I think we had someone look at another ones girlfriend and one shoved the other and we disband that function and told everyone they would have to leave."
Then authorities say the fight escalated in parking lot and across Desired Street, shortly after shots were fired. Police say Jamerion Wade, Rahkeme Goree and Kevin Falcon fired shots into a crowd.
Detective Jeff Harris of the Monroe police department said, "When it got outside there were some gunfire striking one for the victims got shot in the right shoulder and right knee."
Thomas say he's disappointed that possible gang violence happened after an event his organization hosted. But, he says the shooting just proves that his work in the community is far from over.
Thomas said, "We're not going to allow one bad event to stop us from trying to reach the kids on a positive manor."
Cliff Thomas is the CEO of Empowering Communities of America Inc. and he said, "We use it as apart of our program to reward kids for good behavior."
Thomas says every event the non-profit hosts, teens are checked by security guards for weapons. Saturday night, Thomas says everything was going well until two guys started arguing.
Thomas said, "We don't condone any violence in the facility. Saturday I think we had someone look at another ones girlfriend and one shoved the other and we disband that function and told everyone they would have to leave."
Then authorities say the fight escalated in parking lot and across Desired Street, shortly after shots were fired. Police say Jamerion Wade, Rahkeme Goree and Kevin Falcon fired shots into a crowd.
Detective Jeff Harris of the Monroe police department said, "When it got outside there were some gunfire striking one for the victims got shot in the right shoulder and right knee."
Thomas say he's disappointed that possible gang violence happened after an event his organization hosted. But, he says the shooting just proves that his work in the community is far from over.
Thomas said, "We're not going to allow one bad event to stop us from trying to reach the kids on a positive manor."
