ANSWERS NEEDED IN LIMA

MANY questions still require answers after a 26-year-old woman was
shot to death by drug-raiding police in Lima while she held her
toddler son, who was also seriously injured. Though the
African-American community is vigorously protesting the death of
Tarika Wilson, their concern should be shared by every citizen.

Chief among those questions: Did police conducting the raid know
children were in the home at the time? Why would officers shoot
someone with a child in her arms? Did they think she had a gun?

Ms. Wilson's five other children, whose ages range from 1 to 8, were
also present when she was shot. Also home was her boyfriend, Anthony
Terry, 31.

Frustrated and angry relatives say a search warrant targeted the wrong
house number. However, Police Chief Greg Garlock confirmed that
officers had the right address. Police suspected the boyfriend of
selling drugs at the home; he was arrested on drug-trafficking charges.

While the couple have been previously convicted on drug charges, that
doesn't dismiss the need for answers in what Chief Garlock calls a
"terrible situation."

A former Lima SWAT commander said it is not unusual for children to be
home when police show up for a raid. If that is true, it's fair to
suggest that officers breached some of the rules intended to avoid
shooting innocent people in such situations.

The shooter in this tragedy has been identified as Sgt. Joseph A.
Chavalia, 52, a veteran Lima police officer for 30 years, including 22
years on the SWAT team. The FBI and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal
Identification and Investigation are conducting inquiries.

Meanwhile, local activists should get credit for tempering citizens'
rage even as they seek information about what happened. Among them is
Lima city Councilman Derry Glenn, who owned the house but did not live
there.

Whatever BCI and the FBI find, Lima police have a public relations
disaster on their hands, especially if it appears that the shooting
was careless or, worse, racially motivated.

What is not in question is the considerable strain in relations
between police and Lima's black community.

That must be addressed fully as well, no matter what was behind the
tragedy on East Third Street.