NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

BLACKBERRY EDITION

Monday, February 6, 2006

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INCIDENTS

Martin Luther King, Jr. NHS

Update on Funeral Services for Coretta Scott King

The Eastern Incident Management Team (Gordon Wissinger, IC) has been assigned to the park to assist with the funeral services for Coretta Scott King, the late wife of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The following summarizes the team's past and coming activities:

Saturday, February 4 - The team continued planning and preparations for the memorial and funeral services. Additional support from outside the park began arriving, including 15 uniformed law enforcement and nine uniformed non-law enforcement personnel. Together, they represent approximately 20% of the personnel involved in security operations for memorial services at the park. The majority of security is being provided by numerous local law enforcement agencies. Mrs. King lay in state at the Georgia state capitol on Saturday.

Sunday, February 5 - The team assumed command of the incident within the park. Operations included coordinating event planning with local law enforcement agencies, preparing the park for memorial and funeral services, conducting roving foot patrols, and managing parking for dignitaries and the public throughout the course of the event. Increased visitor use, traffic, and parking in the area were expected, as Sunday church attendance at the Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church was expected to be higher than usual and additional memorial services were scheduled.

Monday, February 6 - Mrs. King will lie in honor from 10 a.m. until midnight at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Dr. Martin Luther King preached until his death in 1968. The main streets in the vicinity of the church (Auburn and Jackson Streets) will be closed to vehicles and open to pedestrian traffic only. A musical memorial celebration (invitation only) is scheduled at noon at the Ebenezer Baptist Horizon Sanctuary. At 4 p.m., a public prayer vigil is expected to occur at the King Center. A memorial service, open to the public, is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Ebenezer Baptist Horizon Sanctuary. A large turnout is expected. The maximum capacity of the church is approximately 2,000 people. The birth home will be open for silent walk-throughs from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. The park visitor center and the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church will remain open until midnight.

Tuesday, February 7 - Funeral services will be held at a location outside of the park. Interment will occur at the King Center on Tuesday evening. The park visitor center and Ebenezer Baptist Church may stay open for extended hours as necessary.

Wednesday, February 8 - The Eastern IMT expects to demobilize incident personnel, close-out operations with the park and travel home.

[Michelle Fidler, Eastern IMT Information Officer]

Independence NHP

Shots Fired Near Visitor Center

Just after 2 a.m. on February 1st, protection rangers heard multiple gunshots coming from the 500 block of Market Street. This is just one block north of the Liberty Bell Center, and the location of the Independence Visitor Center. Guards at the site advised dispatch and the responding rangers that shots had been fired in the area. Rangers found a vehicle with several bullet holes and extensive damage to its passenger side window on the sidewalk directly in front of the Liberty Bell Pavilion. A man was seen outside the vehicle; the rangers took cover, then ordered him to the ground. He refused to comply, got back in the car, and attempted to flee. The vehicle was severely damaged, though, so he was only able to back off the sidewalk and travel another several hundred feet before having to stop. He then got out of the car and entered another vehicle that had pulled up alongside him. Rangers broadcast the latter vehicle's description to responding Philadelphia police officers, who stopped it several blocks away. The occupants were arrested. A number of shell casings and a loaded firearm were found on park property. All evidence was turned over to Philadelphia police, who are handling the arrests and further investigation. No NPS employees were injured nor were any weapons discharged at or by the rangers responding to the scene. [Ian Crane, Chief Ranger]

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Prepared by Visitor and Resource Protection, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

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