New York and Jersey
16-12-2003, 05:15
A tank as the instrument of the law isnt taking the delicate process to solving crime. Crime is like surgery, we need a scalpel and with tanks we have not that but a chainsaw. -City Council Benard Newicky
The blue and white M551 Sheridan Light Tank rolled forward slowly, marked off with the symbol of the NYPDs Tank Unit, the light tank stopped several blocks away from its intended target. A building which was a notorious haven for several local drug dealers. For the first time in years officers of the NYPD were warned against entering the neighborhood after a certain hour. That never went on for much long however and as soon as informants pointed the police in the right direction raiding teams were assembled.
Behind and to the right of the first Sheridan a second one rolled up the 152mm barrel pointing down the street toward the direction of the drug den as well. The tanks commander got on the radio and looked out through the small commanders sight toward the other tank. "Hey Alex, you wanna take this one, or should I?", thinking a few moments the lead tanks commander responded with, "I fire first you follow up five seconds after, then we'll call in the Regs." The Regs. were the Tank Units slang for regular units, cops in squad cars and light armored personnel carriers. Basically anything other than one of the tank units.
After a few moments of silence, where only the diesal engines could be heard the lead tank openned up with the 152mm cannon, five seconds afterward the second tank openned up with its 152mm cannon. The drug den, what was left of it smouldered lightly. The entire front of the white house had been completely decimated several support beams having been destroyed the house teetered on the brink of collapse. From that rubble, tracer and bulletfire could be seen leaving the house and screaming down the street. The rounds smacking off of the front hulls of the M551s the lead tank commander look steamed,"For christs sakes I just got all the dings out. Gunner reload. HE round I want those peckers dead."
Above the scene a UH-1 circled overhead, bearing the markings of one of the local news agencies they normally were tipped off whenever raids were about to happen. The entire scene would unfold infront of millions of citizens in NYNJ and would even been seen limitedly internationally. Several more tank rounds were fired into the house before the regular police units arrived in light APCs. The tanks retreating heading backwards as normal cops began to take over the fighting. The fighting wouldnt end for another six minutes and when it was done the newscopter caught footage of several cops being carried from the den ruins by stretcher toward awaiting ambulances. None of the dealers were to be so lucky. Handcuffed they were put on the street and told to wait as ambulances took their time from other areas. Out of 22 suspects only three would make it to the hospital. To people in NYNJ this was nothing out of the ordinary, international opinion however was always the most fickle.
The blue and white M551 Sheridan Light Tank rolled forward slowly, marked off with the symbol of the NYPDs Tank Unit, the light tank stopped several blocks away from its intended target. A building which was a notorious haven for several local drug dealers. For the first time in years officers of the NYPD were warned against entering the neighborhood after a certain hour. That never went on for much long however and as soon as informants pointed the police in the right direction raiding teams were assembled.
Behind and to the right of the first Sheridan a second one rolled up the 152mm barrel pointing down the street toward the direction of the drug den as well. The tanks commander got on the radio and looked out through the small commanders sight toward the other tank. "Hey Alex, you wanna take this one, or should I?", thinking a few moments the lead tanks commander responded with, "I fire first you follow up five seconds after, then we'll call in the Regs." The Regs. were the Tank Units slang for regular units, cops in squad cars and light armored personnel carriers. Basically anything other than one of the tank units.
After a few moments of silence, where only the diesal engines could be heard the lead tank openned up with the 152mm cannon, five seconds afterward the second tank openned up with its 152mm cannon. The drug den, what was left of it smouldered lightly. The entire front of the white house had been completely decimated several support beams having been destroyed the house teetered on the brink of collapse. From that rubble, tracer and bulletfire could be seen leaving the house and screaming down the street. The rounds smacking off of the front hulls of the M551s the lead tank commander look steamed,"For christs sakes I just got all the dings out. Gunner reload. HE round I want those peckers dead."
Above the scene a UH-1 circled overhead, bearing the markings of one of the local news agencies they normally were tipped off whenever raids were about to happen. The entire scene would unfold infront of millions of citizens in NYNJ and would even been seen limitedly internationally. Several more tank rounds were fired into the house before the regular police units arrived in light APCs. The tanks retreating heading backwards as normal cops began to take over the fighting. The fighting wouldnt end for another six minutes and when it was done the newscopter caught footage of several cops being carried from the den ruins by stretcher toward awaiting ambulances. None of the dealers were to be so lucky. Handcuffed they were put on the street and told to wait as ambulances took their time from other areas. Out of 22 suspects only three would make it to the hospital. To people in NYNJ this was nothing out of the ordinary, international opinion however was always the most fickle.