4 CHARGED IN DRUG BUST SHOOTING

Four men were charged with attempt to commit capital murder Thursday
after eight police officers who tried to execute a narcotics warrant
were sprayed with bullets.

According to police, the officers converged on a duplex in the 600
block of J Street late Wednesday.

Officer Kenneth Tollett shouted, "Police! Search Warrant!" before
striking at the steel door with a sledge hammer.

The door would not give. Tollett smashed a window and was answered by
a volley of gunfire through the window, the wall where Tollett stood
and the door.

Tollett and his partner retreated unhurt and warned other officers of
gunfire.

Detective Frank Corn, 51, and another officer were at the rear
entrance when they heard the gunfire and moved back. Corn broke
another window at the corner of the house to create a diversion, but
the occupants immediately fired through the window, striking him.

He was pulled to safety and all of the officers took up safe
positions, warning the occupants to surrender while ducking a second
and third volley of gunfire.

The officers never returned fire. After several minutes, a Norenco SKS
rifle was tossed through a window, the occupants opened the door and
walked out slowly, hands in the air.

"It's remarkable they (police) exercised such restraint, given the
amount of gunfire they were under," Deputy Chief Ortiz said. "All of
them claimed they did not have a clear target."

Corn, assigned to the Repeat Offender Program, was treated and
released from Brooke Army Medical Center for a bullet wound in his
upper shoulder.

"The doctors opted not to remove the bullet," Ortiz said, adding it
was lodged behind the right shoulder blade.

A small amount of cocaine, less than 7 grams, also was confiscated in
the raid.

The following men were charged with attempt to commit capital murder.
They remained in Bexar County Jail late Thursday in lieu of posting
these bonds:

Kenneth Garner, 18, of the 2900 block of Dasa Leo, $450,000 bond;
Kevin Nolan, 25, of the 600 block of J Street, $450,000; James Green,
22, of the 1300 block of Wurzbach Road, $500,000 bond; and Clarence
Thornton, 20, of the 5900 block of Saints Passage, $500,000 bond.

Nolan and Garner also were charged with possession of a controlled
substance with intent to deliver.

A fifth man, James E. Jones, 19, of the 600 block of J Street, was
arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance. His
bond was set at $100,000.

Checked-by: Patrick Henry