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Howard Murder: Gang-related or Not?

1,170 views · Published 7 March 2013 · 2:18 · Indexed 24 October 2026

Channel: WTVC NewsChannel 9 · 2013 · News & Politics

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By Jerry Askin Thursday, Chattanooga Police refused to answer any questions about the shooting death of 16-year old Lamunta Williams. They would only say the shooting is under investigation. We asked our questions during a press conference they held on a separate topic.NewsChannel 9 has learned the victim, a Howard High school sophomore and his accused killer 18-year old Courtney Birt were in rival gangs.  Despite that, officers say the shooting was not gang-related.  According to the court affidavit, Birt shot Williams in retaliation for hitting the mother of Birt's child.It's a shame that we have let it come to this point, says James Mapp.James Mapp is the president of the Hamilton County National Association for the Advacement of Colored People (NAACP). He's also a 1947 Howard High school graduate, and is shocked to hear of so much black on black crime happening in Chattanooga.Those kids are a result of our inaction, says Mapp.Wednesday night, family and friends met at the place where Lamunta Williams was killed.NewsChannel 9 dug deeper to find out who owns the run-down abandoned home, an out-of-school haven for Lamunta and his three friends during school hours.According to the Hamilton County Assessor's office, John and Mary Patterson are the owners. We tried to track them down Thursday, but they weren't at their other listed address in East Brainerd. Mapp suggests more African-American officers serving as role models.They are neighbors, they go to church together, they'll have an influence, says Mapp.Courtney Birt is due in court on Monday, March 11th at 9am.  He remains now in jail on no bond.

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