1967 Tampa riots
However, a 1952 Florida Supreme Court case ruled that cities could not use eminent domain to sell the land to private companies to redevelop.
Though, with this case, cities in Florida could not participate in the Act, the legislature passed laws allowing Tampa and Tallahassee to undertake urban renewal projects.
[7] Martin Luther King Jr. visited Tampa on November 19, 1961, and gave a speech at Fort Homer Hesterly Armory to a crowd of 4,200 people.
[10] On June 11, 1967, three burglars—Martin Chambers (19 years old), John Dawson, and Calvin Moore (15)—broke into Tampa's Photo Supply Warehouse located at 421 East Ellasme Street at 5:30 pm, stealing photographic and film equipment worth over $100.
At approximately 6:18 pm, the two officers observed the three men near an alley that connected to Nebraska Avenue located between Zack and Twiggs Street, believing them to be suspects in robbing the camera supply warehouse.
[15] When black residents of the Central Park Village housing project became aware of the chase, they began to participate and some even tried to help officers in locating Chambers.
[16] Still in the alley, near the intersection of Cass Street and Nebraska Avenue,[17] Calvert fired his .38 revolver at Chambers' back once[16] and the bullet passed completely through his body.
However, when the witnesses were brought to the crime scene, they said they were at the westerly side of the house, a viewpoint that the police deemed would be impossible to view what happened in those moments.
At some point, in an attempt to persuade the crowd into dispersing, Officer Oates went to the area and make an announcement that an investigation would be made into Chambers' shooting.
[2] Appearing to make progress in calming down the crowd,[2] Oates' words were outweighed when a woman came running down a street screaming about her brother who was killed by the police.
[2] By 11:50, there was enough law enforcement officers to create an "assault line" to move into the area where they thought the civil disorder was happening.
As a result, Sherriff's Department deputies and police officers were placed on the roof of the Pyramid Hotel to give cover.
[24] While the TPD was responsible for all entrances on Central Avenue spanning from Scott to Harrison Street, the perimeter later ended up being extended and prohibited traffic going in and out of the area.
[2] During the evening, National Guard troops began to replace the local policing forces in maintaining the perimeter around Central Park.
[25] Moreover, a publication from the US Army Office of Military History from 1971 says that approximately 500 were deployed and stated that the precise number of troops that were activated was not recorded.
The only significant piece of information that the police received and deemed to be true was when they encountered a non-white male using a CB radio to communicate with others at 1:15 am.
[33] Calls for African Americans wanting to do the policing themselves led to the creation of a youth patrol referred to as the "White Hats".
Mayor Nuccio that day met with local residents, who suggested that Coash Jim Williams in Tallahassee would be most effective in calming down the rioters.
One minute later, two white males carrying shotguns at Beach Street and Howard Avenue in West Tampa were reported to the police.
People in attendance included Chief Mullins, Sheriff Beard, Mayor Nuccio, NAACP members, and other local law enforcement officers.
[39] Apart from purely responding from the violence caused by the unrest, law enforcement forces provided security to certain locations and people.
Auxiliary forces were deployed to provide perimeter security for the Tampa Police Department and Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office headquarters.
[39] A youth patrol force later referred to as the "White Hats" was created in response to the grievances that many African Americans had towards law enforcement during the riots.
[43] A two day long investigation was done by the Hillsborough County District Attorney office declaring that the shooting of Chambers was justified.
[1] Black youths who said they were witnesses towards the shooting in hearings held by Antinori said Chambers stopped, put his hands up and turn towards Patrolman Calvert when he was shot him.
Janie tried to get the city to investigate her son's death in 1990, which led to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement finding that the shooting was justifiable.
Also during 2007, an advisory committee for the mayor moved to rename a room in the Kid Mason Recreation Center that was located on Orange Street in honor of him.
[13] A report was produced by the Florida Advisory Committee in December 1972 concluding that black residents in the city did have strained relations with the police.
It was named after Perry Harvey Sr. a long time president of International Longshoremen's Association local chapter 1402 and an advocate for civil rights.
Central Park Village was demolished to make way for another urban renewal project named the Encore which opened on December 18, 2012 and contains a mix of residential and commercial spaces.
