i am in Bradford, PA...20-25 mins from Salamanca, NY. i happened to catch the
special news report on TV Saturday morning.
Here is an article from one of the local NY papers. The shootings made
national TV...i taped the CNN clip.
>From the Forest,
chickadee
---'On the verge of civil war' Three dead after shooting on the Cattaraugus Reservation
The often violent struggle about the Seneca Nation of Indians leadership turned deadly early Saturday as three men died and another was wounded in an armed assault on the William Seneca Building on the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation.
The dead, all supporters of appointed Seneca Pres Karen Bucktooth, reportedly forced their way into the tribal govt building and began shooting, drawing return fire from occupants, one of whom was injured.
They reportedly forced their way into the building shortly before 6 am and began firing down a hallway at supporters of elected Pres Denis J. Bowen Sr.,who were occupying the building to guard against such a takeover by Seneca Party oppontents.
The dead were id'ed as: Samuel Powless, 26 of Ontario Myron Kettle, 62 of the Cattaruagus Reservation Patrick Thompson, 31, of the Cattaraugus Reservation
One body was lying outside the building, the others were just inside the door.
The injured man was id'ed as Daniel Rice, a Seneca Nation deputy marshal who was among a handful of supporters of Pres Bowen inside the building.
Pres Bowen issued a call for peace, and called for Senecas "to restore peace and calm to every Seneca home and community. I ask and expect that all Senecas to cooperate with each law enforcement agency now investigating this tragedy."
Bowen aide Rose Patterson said: "We're on the verge of a civil war. If people allow the violence to continue, its' going to be a long time before police leave the reservation."
Erie Co. Sheriff's Dept Chief of Detectives Jerry Mack told the Times Herald at the scene of Sat's shooting that a drive-by shooting of the outside of the William Seneca Buidling occurred about 4:30 am. It was followed 1.5 hrs later by the assault inside the building.
More than a dozen Erie Co Sheriff's Dept detectives questioned witnesses at teh William Seneca Building. No arrests had been made as of 10 pm Sat, said Chief Mack. The investigation is continuing and more witnesses are expected to be questioned today.
Chief Mack said Bowen supporters apparently cleaned up the crime scene before police arrived shortly after 7 am. Several weapons remaining in the building were confiscated, he said.
Pres Bowen called the Seneca Party members who assuulted the William Seneca Building "paid goons" of Ross John and Barry Snyder. Mr John is Seneca tribal leader and Mr Snyder is the past Seneca pres.
Pres Bowen said a public safety plan, including stepped-up patrols of the Cattaraugus Rez that straddles the Cattaraugus and Erie County border, is in place. Also, Seneca authorities are assembling a team offering trauma response counseling services and rumor control hotlines are being set up on both reservations.
Ironically, federal mediators met with both sides in teh Seneca leadership dispute on Fri, issuing a plea for both sides to lay down weapons and attempt to settle their differences.
Both pres--Mr Bowen and Mrs Bucktooth, who was elected by the Seneca Party members of the Tribal Council on Feb 11--met Wed in D.C. with reps of the US BIA. The BIA has promised a quick determination of the rightful Seneca leader.
"I felt something might happen after our meeting in Washington," said Pres Bowen. "We tried to show where their impeachment of me was legally defective. They took a beating at the BIA meeting."
The Seneca Party-majority of the Tribal Council impeached Pres Bowen Jan 28, saying he misused his authority. That action then was voided by the Seneca Peacemaker's Court on Feb 6
[Note: there is a lot more to the article, but i don't have time to type it all out. Just as background summary, Bowen and his supporters are the 'traditionalists', and Bucktooth and her supporters are those supporting gambling, etc on the rez.
I phoned the Iroquois Indian Movement, a group of 'traditionalists' who are seeking peace between the 2 sides. They are in need of an American Civil Liberties Union lawyer. I know little of this group so i am hesitnant to give out any contact addresses since they may not want me to.]