Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, June 15, 1990                   TAG: 9006150863
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: By LAURENCE HAMMACK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

ROANOKE MAN, 18, KILLED IN `MASS DISORDER'

Lonnie Davis, of the 1800 block of 10th Street Northwest, died of several gunshot wounds about 2:05 a.m., police said.

Iven Pernell Thompson, of the 4900 block of Grandview Avenue Northwest, has been charged with murder.

Police said the shooting, which occurred on the 2500 block of Marr Street Northwest, apparently stemmed from an argument at a block party some distance away in the 3100 block of Kershaw Road.

At one point, police had to use mace to subdue members of the crowd in a gathering that was filled with fights, shouted threats and shots fired into the air, authorities said.

Police estimated that at least 400 young people congregated on Kershaw Road, just north of the Roanoke Country Club.

As hostility grew, at least two carloads of youths headed to the area of Thompson's home on Grandview Avenue to continue an altercation, police said.

Thompson and Davis squared off on Marr Street, just off Valley View Boulevard and not far from Valley View Mall.

Davis was shot several times as he approached a rival group, police said. Shortly after police arrived, they found four guns that had been hidden nearby under an air-conditioning unit.

As police arrived, members of the group pointed out a fleeing person who they indicated had done the shooting.

Police gave chase, with the group following close behind. Some of the group members found the suspect hiding behind a bush and began to beat him before police could intervene.

The group was so violent that mace had to be used to free the man, authorities said. Police then learned that the man had been falsely accused, and apparently had nothing to do with the shooting.

Some time later, Thompson was surrendered to police by a family member in the parking lot of a business on Hershberger Road.

Police had difficulty breaking up the crowd on Kershaw Road. At one point, a motorist was approached by the crowd.

Paul Shull Jr., 19, of Fenwick Drive told police he was passing the area to drop off a passenger on Pittsfield Circle when people approached him and began to kick his car.

The group caused about $500 damage to Shull's car before he was able to get away, police said.

Police said today that they were still trying to determine exactly why the youths congregated on Kershaw Road. Details on what led up to the shooting also were unknown.