Police in Miami Increase Force After Rampage

MIAMI — Police increased patrols Friday in the Coconut Grove neighborhood after bands of teen-agers, their faces covered “like ninjas,” tossed concrete at passing cars and set trash on fire.

The street violence came nine days after a black youth was shot to death by a white police officer. It began Thursday night and ended early Friday, after about two hours, when police sealed off about 10 blocks in the predominantly black neighborhood.

No arrests were made.

Many of the 25 to 30 rampaging youths, estimated by bystanders to be 12 to 17 years old, shielded their faces with pillowcases with eyeholes or T-shirts wrapped around their heads “like ninjas,” said Antonio Hunter.

Hunter was at home when he heard glass breaking and saw people running down an alley behind his house.

“Everyone’s been upset since the shooting . . . because that young guy just got shot for no reason,” he said.

Torrey Dovan Jacobs, 17, was wearing a ski mask and a hat when he was approached by Officer Chris Griffin the night of July 18. Police said Jacobs began to run away, dropping a cigarette lighter in the shape of a semiautomatic pistol. When he picked it up, Griffin shot him.

Police later found five small bags of marijuana in Jacobs’ pants.

Disturbances have repeatedly erupted in Miami’s black neighborhoods since 1980 after police have killed blacks or been acquitted in such cases.

Drew Angotti and his girlfriend were leaving a restaurant Thursday night when youths approached their black Mercedes and smashed its windows. Neither was injured.

“We took a wrong turn, and they just started pelting the car with debris,” Angotti said. “I’ve never seen anything like it. It was this gang just looking to start something.”

Police spokesman Angel Calzadilla said one storefront window was smashed, and two minor injuries from broken car windows were reported.

“We will have more high visibility patrol” Friday night, Police Chief Donald Warshaw said.