Police Will Wait On Hate Crime Charges For Wal-Mart Shooting
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Updated: 12:03 PM Feb 19, 2008
Police Will Wait On Hate Crime Charges For Wal-Mart Shooting
Police say they will delay charging a self-professed white supremacist with a hate crime. The NAACP and local leaders had asked the U.S. Attorney General to investigate.
Posted: 5:18 PM Feb 15, 2008
Reporter: Lynnette Taylor
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Police say they will delaying charging a self-professed white supremacist with a hate crime.

Police say they also investigating to see if the suspect is tied to any known hater groups.

Donovan Patrick Williams, of Greenville, was arrested Friday. Police say 23-year-old Williams started shouting at the 19-year-old victim, who is black, and the victim's girlfriend, who is white, outside the store early Friday.

Officers tell us the couple got scared and ran to their car, and when they tried to pull out, Williams shot into the vehicle.

Williams was later taken into custody on Hooker Road. Police also say they found a gun on Williams, and that when they took him into custody, Williams said he was a white supremacist and made racial slurs.

Police say if they charged Williams with a hate crime it would only be a misdemeanor. Williams already faces far more serious crimes. Police say if he is convicted, they will try to enhance his sentencing with information of the racial slurs.

The NAACP and local leaders met over the weekend, asking for hate crime charges to be filed in the case.

Williams is currently locked up under a two hundred thousand dollar bond, but with new charges the district attorny's office will likely try to increase that amount.

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Greenville, NC -- What police call a racially-charged shooting at Wal-Mart in Greenville Friday is prompting the NAACP and local leaders to request the U.S. Attorney General to investigate.

Sunday afternoon, members of several race quality organizations held a press conference on the steps of the NAACP office in Greenville.

The Pitt County president of the NAACP says they are requesting the Attorney General look into this case.

Donovan Patrick Williams, of Greenville, was arrested. Police say 23-year-old Williams started shouting at the 19-year-old victim, who is black, and the victim's girlfriend, who is white, outside the store early Friday.

Officers tell us the couple got scared and ran to their car, and when they tried to pull out, Williams shot into the vehicle.

Williams was later taken into custody on Hooker Road. Police also say they found a gun on Williams, and that when they took him into custody, Williams said he was a white supremacist and made racial slurs.

He was locked up under a $200,000 bond. The victim's injuries were not life-threatening.

The NAACP and other local leaders also want the Attorney General to look into the two recent reports of nooses found on at East Carolina University. Organizers say these types of outward discrimination can not be tolerated.

Greenville police say they will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law and will request the accused, Donovan Patrick Williams, be charged with a hate crime.

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Two prominent African-American organizations are responding tonight to the shooting outside the Greenville Walmart, that police say was racially motivated.

23 year old Donovan Patrick Williams is at the Pitt County Detention Center tonight charged with assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to kill and communicating threats.

He was not charged with a hate crime, despite the police report which states he used racial slurs at an interracial couple before firing a gun at them in the parking lot of Walmart.

Greenville Police say there are procedures to follow to file a hate crime against Williams.

Corporal Kip Gaskins tells WITN "The Greenville Police Department is investigating and planning to charge Williams to the fullest extent of the law, including charging him with a hate crime. Our highest priority is making sure we follow the proper procedures so he doesn't get away with this crime."

The Magistrate set Williams bond $200,000, but Pitt County's President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference or SCLC, says it should have been more.

"What kind of message are we sending?" says Rufus Huggins, Pitt County President of the SCLC, "You're sending the wrong message so this was the right time to send the right message."

Greenville Police tells us they are working on the hate crime charge and will talk with the D.A. next week.

Members of the NAACP and the SCLC say they'll take action now and hold an emergency meeting about this situation Sunday.

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Police say a shooting outside the Wal-Mart in Greenville overnight was racially motivated.

Donovan Patrick Williams, of Greenville, was arrested. Police say 23-year-old Williams started shouting at the 19-year-old victim, who is black, and the victim's girlfriend, who is white, outside the store.

Officers tell us the couple got scared and ran to their car, and when they tried to pull out, Williams shot into the vehicle.

Williams was later taken into custody on Hooker Road. Police also say they found a gun on Williams, and that when they took him into custody, Williams said he was a white supremacist and made racial slurs.

Williams is in the Pitt County Detention center under a $200,000 secured bond.

The victim did not have life-threatening injuries.


Latest Comments

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Greenville on Apr 14, 2008 at 07:02 PM

I went to school with Donovan from Kindergarten to whenever he dropped out. He came from a poor upbringing and was always an outcast w/ few friends. I don't think that this is any excuse for what he did and I feel that he should be severly punished. It's just that after reading some of these comments, its seems that people tend to simplify hate crimes as a white or black issue when there is a lot of gray area in between. "Misplaced hate makes disgrace to races" ~ Tupac
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Posted by: Anonymous on Mar 7, 2008 at 08:20 AM

There would not be as much racism if it wasn't for the NAACP.
[ Report Abuse ]
Posted by: Anonymous Location: NC on Mar 6, 2008 at 07:33 PM

Can we just all get along? Racism needs to stop and we should simply just stop making excuses for wrong doing. What that young man did was wrong and it should be dealt with accordingly. The sad thing about this matter is that local law enforcement refuses to see the situation as it really is--PURE RACISM. Racial slurs were obviously made with an assault with a deadly weapon --DUUH it doesn't take fed authorities to figure this one out. The NAACP should not have to get involved if the matter is handled according to the written law and not an opinionated law. Pray for peace in our country and for evil ones that treat other human beings wrong based soley on their race.
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