Some fires were put out immediately, but snipers began shooting at the fireman. Helicopters flew around the neighborhoods looking for snipers. The thick foliage over many streets, however, shielded them from their view. The snipers had little regard for human life, especially for these firemen who were all White. At night, residents were ordered to keep all lights off and there was a dusk to dawn curfew.
Shots rang out throughout the night.
Occasionally, you'd here the firing of a tank, or the squeaking noise of their metal tracks as they rolled through the neighborhoods. It was kind of exciting. As the sun rose each morning, we'd roam the major streets in the neighborhood looking for M16 shell casings. There were many. When it was all over, much of the inner city of Detroit had been destroyed.