FIRED UP! Pottery festivals hit Seagrove this weekend. 1B
ROUND 2: Bison battle Dudley in prep football playoffs. 1D
50 Cents Daily $1 Sundays
glorified, and there is no law governing their use, just agency policies,” Mance said. “When used appropriately, like in High Point, you can limit injuries.” Barnes and Fealy said their policies limit use of the weapons to repel attacks. School board member Carlvena Foster, who believes officers should not use Tasers in the schools, again called for more discussions. “The No. 1 goal is school safety,” Foster said. “We don’t have the activity in our schools that requires the use of Tasers. What works on the streets does not work at school.”
HIGH POINT – Three Southwest Guilford High School students have been arrested by High Point police in connection to the Wednesday shooting of a High Point store clerk. Antonio Del Rio Gutierrez, 17, of Fountain Grove Drive, Robert Emmanuel Napper, 17, of Montlieu Avenue, and Gregory Lemar Stephenson, 18, of N. Rotary Drive, have been charged with attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury and robbery with a dangerous weapon. The teenagers were placed in the Guilford County Jail under a $400,000 secured bond. Gutierrez At 11:02 a.m. Wednesday, police received a call that a possible armed robbery was in progress at the Skeet Club GroNapper cery Store, located at 1533 Skeet Club Road in the small shopping center of Parrish Plaza. The caller advised police that gunshots had been heard. Stephenson Police received an additional call stating that someone had been shot. When police arrived on the scene, they found the clerk, 23-year-old Waqar Gilani of Archdale, had been shot twice. EMS transported the clerk to Moses Cone Hospital, where he underwent surgery. Moses Cone Hospital and police didn’t release Gilani’s medical condition Thursday. WXII-TV reported Wednesday that the store’s owner identified the victim as his nephew. Police said Gutierrez, Napper and Stephenson were charged with the shooting at about 6 p.m. Wednesday. The three teens were awaiting trial for other alleged crimes, with Gutierrez being charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct. Napper had been charged with misdemeanor riot and Stephenson misdemeanor second-degree trespassing.
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Panelilsts (from left) Ian Mance (ACLU), High Point Police Chief Jim Fealy and Guilford County Sheriff BJ Barnes attend discussion at the YWCA of High Point Thursday.
STUN GUNS
Taser debate focuses on safety in schools BY DAVID NIVENS ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
DON DAVIS JR. | HPE
Discussion of Taser use drew mixed reaction from attendees.
STUN GUNS
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Safety: Since deploying Taser stun guns last year, seven High Point police officers have been injured during arrests, compared to 18 in the last year before officers had the weapons. Suspect injuries dropped from 35 to 17. Armed: The school system employs 16 deputies who carry stun guns. High Point police officers have carried the weapons since August 2008. Greensboro police also carry them.
Parade marches in this weekend in Thomasville BY DARRICK IGNASIAK ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
THOMASVILLE – Thanks to the Fair Grove Lions Club, Thomasville’s annual Christmas Parade is back for another year Saturday. For more than 50 years, the Thomasville Jaycees had been in charge of organizing the Christmas Parade. But as member numbers steadily declined in recent years, the parade started to become difficult for the Jaycees to organize. Not to worry. The Fair Grove Lions Club, which assisted the Jaycees with the parade last year, decided to sponsor and organize this year’s Christmas parade. “When you turn 40, you pretty much get kicked out of the Jaycees,” said
Ledford High and East Davidson High marching bands. When: 3 p.m. Saturday Judy Black, who is servWhere: Downtown ing on the parade commitThomasville. The parade tee, said Mayor Joe Bennett route will begin on and Miss N.C. Outstanding Lexington Avenue near Teen Katherine Puryear Thomasville Medical relinquished their posiCenter, travel east down tions at the front of the paMain Street and end rade, so the Veterans who underneath the Julian were slated to participate Avenue underpass. in the Davidson County Highlights: More than Veterans Day Parade that 100 entries have signed was rained out earlier this up to participate, includmonth could lead. ing fire departments, The parade has more high school bands and than a 1,000 participants Santa Claus. Parade is while additional thouorganized by the Fair sands are expected to be in Grove Lions Club. attendance. Congressman Howard Coble, Davidson County Sheriff David Grice, Davidson County are expected to participate Commissioner Billy Joe in the parade, Black said. Kepley, as well as the dignasiak@hpe.com 888-3657 Thomasville City Council,
PARADE
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HPE | FILE
Last year’s parade had more than1,000 participants. Luther Watford, chairman of the Thomasville Christmas Parade and member of the Fair Grove Lions Club. “It’s a leadership training program for young people. Basically, they just ran out of members ... The Lions Club was eager to take it. To me, it’s the best com-
125th year No. 324 www.hpe.com High Point, N.C.
BY DARRICK IGNASIAK ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
carry. We have reduced injuries since we have used them, and that is a positive thing.” The Guilford County Board of Education has invited the same two agency leaders to discuss stun guns. Following a September incident at Ragsdale High School, several outraged parents complained to the school board about stun-gun dangers. An officer used a Taser on a 15-year-old female student after she threatened two faculty members and assaulted the officer, according to the sheriff’s office. “Schools are much more violent now,” Barnes said. Critics see several dangers and want stricter use policies. “The devices have become
November 20, 2009
HOLIDAY FEED: Agency plans free Thanksgiving meal. 1B
Cops nab 3 in store shooting
HIGH POINT – Stun guns are safe when properly used in dangerous circumstances, two law enforcement agency leaders said Thursday. Guilford County Sheriff BJ Barnes and High Point Police Chief Jim Fealy told a gathering at the YWCA of High Point that officers using the weapons have a safer way to defuse violent situations. The two agencies provide Taser-armed school resource officers for many Guilford County school district high schools and middle schools. Barnes said he believes stun guns are safer than pepper spray. Stun guns disrupt the nervous system and cause muscles to contract. The 5-second, 50,000volt shock causes a stunned person to “freeze up.” “Pepper spray has been attributed to more deaths,” Barnes said. “The spray lasts about 45 minutes and the Taser shock about 5 seconds. We need this stopgap. We do not want to use the .45-caliber handgun. It leaves a mark.” Fealy and Barnes appeared with American Civil Liberties Union representative Ian Mance at a “Front Porch Conversations” session sponsored by the High Point Human Relations Commission and the YWCA. “Most of the Taser use you see on television is a misuse, and I agree,” Fealy said. “A Taser can be a lifesaver to protect children. It is the safest weapon officers
FRIDAY
munity service project we can do.” Members of the parade committee, which consists of Lions Club and former Jaycee members, said this week that the parade has about 120 entries, including six fire departments and the Thomasville High,
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WHO’S NEWS
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Marideth Riggs was hired as an event planner at High Point University. In her role, she will assist with the planning, coordinating and executing of university events, such as commencement, alumni and family weekends.
INSIDE
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HOLIDAY TRADITION: Ministries host annual Thanksgiving meal Sunday. 1B OBITUARIES
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Patricia Adragna, 57 Lelia Baker, 86 Thelma Cade, 74 Hazel Crowell, 90 Robert Curry Sr., 63 Charles Froelich Cheston Hamilton, 20 Helen Helms, 89 Antilee Hill, 85 Agnes Leonard, 78 Susan Oakley, 63 Jack Walton, 80 Richard Wilson, 71 Obituaries, 2-3B
WEATHER
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Cloudy, cool High 66, Low 40 8D
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