Nov. 10, 2010
Family Members Gather to Honor Former Huntington Club Babylon Shooting Victim
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) – Passing by the former Club Babylon, 831 Fourth Avenue on Nov 8, 2010, a small group had gathered and placed lighted candles around the exterior foyer of the now closed nightspot. Joseph Porter was shot by a Huntington police office following a disturbance inside the club.
A Cabell County Grand Jury cleared the officer of wrong doing in the shooting. The family of Porter has filed a federal suit naming the city and Huntington Police Department in federal court.
Tarak Bahawi told HNN that he and others had gathered where “a family member passed away.” Bahawi went on to state that Porter was shot by a member of HPD and , in his words, “ there was never a solution to the case.”
He continued, “ We lost someone special to us . It’s horrible. But we are here to celebrate his life. We loved him. We will always love Joe Jermaine Porter.”
Two men were wounded in the exchange of gunfire inside the club. Porter died from a bullet wound to the chest from the officer whom the grant jury cleared.
According to the grand jury findings, police officers entered the club after shots were fired inside. Officers entering the club shouted for individuals to put their hands up. Based on the report, Porter , who had a silver .45 caliber gun in his hand, refused to comply. Instead, he raised his arm, prompting an officer to fire. The bullet struck Porter in the arm and enter his chest. Ballistics testing later showed that Porter had not fired the weapon.
The HPD had stated on Nov. 8 in a prepared statement:
Arriving at the club, “officers observed gunfire, encountered several armed individuals, as well as several others injured from gunfire,” Police Chief Skip Holbrook said during a Sunday afternoon news conference, reading a prepared statement.
After rendering aid to those shot outside Babylon, officers entered the nightclub, officers entered the nightclub in pursuit of several people believed to be armed and involved in the shootings, ”Holbook said. “They engaged two individuals attempting to flee the nightclub through the rear exit. During the engagement, an HPD officer shot and injured one of the individuals who was armed with a handgun which he pointed toward the officer. The individual [identified as Joe Porter] perished undergoing treatment at Cabell-Huntington Hospital.
The early police investigation has determined that three individuals were wounded in an exchange of gunfire BEFORE the arrival of [HPD] officers.”
To read an interview with Skip Holbrook published Nov. 19, 2009, click: http://archives.huntingtonnews.net/local/091119-rutherford-localskipholbrook.html
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Family Members Gather to Honor Former Huntington Club Babylon Shooting Victim
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) – Passing by the former Club Babylon, 831 Fourth Avenue on Nov 8, 2010, a small group had gathered and placed lighted candles around the exterior foyer of the now closed nightspot. Joseph Porter was shot by a Huntington police office following a disturbance inside the club.
A Cabell County Grand Jury cleared the officer of wrong doing in the shooting. The family of Porter has filed a federal suit naming the city and Huntington Police Department in federal court.
Tarak Bahawi told HNN that he and others had gathered where “a family member passed away.” Bahawi went on to state that Porter was shot by a member of HPD and , in his words, “ there was never a solution to the case.”
He continued, “ We lost someone special to us . It’s horrible. But we are here to celebrate his life. We loved him. We will always love Joe Jermaine Porter.”
Two men were wounded in the exchange of gunfire inside the club. Porter died from a bullet wound to the chest from the officer whom the grant jury cleared.
According to the grand jury findings, police officers entered the club after shots were fired inside. Officers entering the club shouted for individuals to put their hands up. Based on the report, Porter , who had a silver .45 caliber gun in his hand, refused to comply. Instead, he raised his arm, prompting an officer to fire. The bullet struck Porter in the arm and enter his chest. Ballistics testing later showed that Porter had not fired the weapon.
The HPD had stated on Nov. 8 in a prepared statement:
Arriving at the club, “officers observed gunfire, encountered several armed individuals, as well as several others injured from gunfire,” Police Chief Skip Holbrook said during a Sunday afternoon news conference, reading a prepared statement.
After rendering aid to those shot outside Babylon, officers entered the nightclub, officers entered the nightclub in pursuit of several people believed to be armed and involved in the shootings, ”Holbook said. “They engaged two individuals attempting to flee the nightclub through the rear exit. During the engagement, an HPD officer shot and injured one of the individuals who was armed with a handgun which he pointed toward the officer. The individual [identified as Joe Porter] perished undergoing treatment at Cabell-Huntington Hospital.
The early police investigation has determined that three individuals were wounded in an exchange of gunfire BEFORE the arrival of [HPD] officers.”
To read an interview with Skip Holbrook published Nov. 19, 2009, click: http://archives.huntingtonnews.net/local/091119-rutherford-localskipholbrook.html
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