Tulsa police are beefing up patrols after a police officer and a FOX23 News crew were attacked with fireworks late Thursday night.
"Our concern at this point is more resolving the disputes that are occurring out there so we can make sure that no one else or property are targeted,” said Sergeant Ali Mauer.
The attack brought out the police helicopter and officers with riot gear.
FOX23 News was reporting on a home near 63rd and North Cincinnati that had been hit with roman candles on Wednesday night. Police were already in the area for a separate call, that’s when someone shot a firework at police and FOX23 News.
FOX23 reporter Dontaye Carter was hit in the back of the head. A firework also hit an officer. Both of them will be ok.
However, it’s an indication of how bad it’s getting in some parts of Tulsa between police and citizens.
Just moments before the attack the neighborhood lit up, with fireworks hitting a police patrol car.
To help difuse the situation, police loaded their pepper ball guns. Video shows the officers never fired a round.
"Go home. Get out of my street. You are in my street. This belongs to the city of Tulsa. Get out of it,” said an officer.
Video shows the neighbors appearing to act above the law and no respect for authority or FOX23 News.
Neighbor: "This is my family."
Police: “Get your family home.”
Neighbor: “I do care.”
Police: “Go home, go home. "
Neighbor: “You go home.”
Police: “It's my job to be here.”
Neighbor: “No, ya'll go home."
Earlier in the week neighbors had been warned.
"We know we can't be shooting fireworks in the city of Tulsa?" said Sergeant Mark Wollmershauser on Wednesday.
On Independence Day, FOX23 News went on a ride-a-long with officers.
Wollmershauser stopped to talk to a family in the same Northgate neighborhood about their kid setting off a firework.
“I am just letting you know because I could have given you a ticket. I would rather give you a heads up that it's illegal,” said Wollmershauser to the neighbor.
This week there was two other incidents in the Northgate neighborhood.
On Tuesday night, a Roman Candle battle busted a window, caught a home on fire and the suspects broke into the home. On Wednesday night, a firework busted a window in a child’s room.
Police said when firefighters arrived on Thursday night they initially stayed back because the neighborhood was too hostile.
“These people are definitely using them as a weapon. Shooting them at each other and shooting them at homes,” said Mauer.
Police said this is an ongoing battle that spurred from a small neighborhood fued.
"People feel very passionately for neighborhood disputes,” said Mauer.
During the day it’s quiet and Sgt. Mauer said there are rarely any problems.
After last night’s incident she went to the neighbors involved and talked them about what happened.
Despite a verbal truce, extra patrols will be in full force in the Northgate neighborhood.
Police are still investigating Thursday night’s incident. No one was arrested but someone was cited for malicious mischief for the previous night’s firework attack on a home.
Fireworks are illegal and if you are caught possessing or lighting off fireworks you can be fined $500.
On Friday night the Mayor’s Bridges of Faith held an event in north Tulsa where Tulsa Police, the mayor’s wife and former NFL players and brothers Shawn and Jerome King spoke about overcoming poverty, gangs and oppression.
Bridges of Faith is a project Mayor Dewey Bartlett started to build relationships with police and churches and to provide positive activities in the summer.
