Hard to tell who is who
30 January 2007There are conflicting reports today in the shooting death of an 80-year-old man. Isaac Singletary died Saturday after a gun battle with undercover officers involved in a drug sting in front of his home. Police say they’re not sure who fired first, but Singletary was hit several times. Witnesses say the officers never told Singletary they were undercover and that he never should have been killed. Mike Tolbert reports from Jacksonville, Florida.
Reporter: The folks on Westmont Street may not have known the name of the man who lived in this house, but they knew what he would not tolerate.
“Pops says whatever you do out in the street or over on the side of the fence, that is your business, but you’re not going to bring it in this yard.”
Reporter: So when Issac Singletary saw a drug deal going on in front of his house, he wanted them gone and took action.
“The man didn’t know that they were actually police officers because this man is like this about the whole neighborhood. He do not like people in his yard.”
Reporter: Police are still trying to figure out if the officers told Singletary they were cops. Right now, they just don’t know.
“If you have the opportunity to identify yourself we will identify yourself but if you got and individual that’s got a firearm then you have to do what you have to do based on your training and try to protect your life and the life of others.”
Reporter: After several recent shootings by JSO, many in the community are fed up.
“We are tired of what happened at emerson arms and then it comes down here to southside.”
Reporter: It’s why cops made a special effort to show that Singletary was armed, showing the tree in his yard hit by bullets from his gun. But on Westmont Street, emotions are still raw after a man who had the respect of those on the street was gunned down doing what they say he always did — protecting his property.
“It’s like I see him because I looked in his eyes. I see how his pain. I felt the pain for him.”
Reporter: Gary Evans says his uncle Isaac had grown tired of the drug dealing around his house and wanted cops to come and clean it up.
“He would call me and say yeah, Gary some undercover officer was out here today. Picking up the boys around here. He would welcome that and those were the very same ones that took his life.”
