[Posted Dec. 26, 2007]

Ches. Family's Home
Remains Unoccupied
After SWAT Raid

By Leonard E. Colvin
Chief Reporter
New Journal & Guide
 
    Almost a month after a Chesapeake Police SWAT team barged in and ransacked their house, the Morris Family is still homeless. Police mistakenly believed a dangerous suspect in a murder case was inside. What they found were the children and grandchildren of Ms. Marva Morris, who was at work when the mishap occurred. 
       According to Chesapeake City Manager, William Harrell, the family will not be able to reoccupy the home  on Stalham Road in South Norfolk until the city makes repairs on the damage which included broken windows and tear gas residue.
       Ms. Morris, who would not return telephone calls to the New Journal and Guide,  is now living with a friend in Norfolk. Several of her children will be residing with relatives until the house is restored.
       “We are on top of this and we have been busy trying to make Mrs. Morris and her family whole again,” said the City Manager.  “We have been very active in trying to  restore her home. It is a tragedy that this happened and we want to do this as quickly as possible.”

Chesapeake officials has hoped to have the family back in the home for Christmas, but broken windows are grim reminder of mishap.

Photo by Alvin Swilley

   On November 28, a Chesapeake Police Special Weapons and Tactics Unit (SWAT) got a secret tip that  Shawn Sir Charles Ward,  was in Ms. Morris’ home. Ward was part of a quartet of men who forced their way into a home in South Norfolk, shooting to death a one-year-old child and wounding three adults. Ward, according to Morris, had attempted to court her daughter but, she said she barred him from doing so, even imposing a warrant, barring him from her home.

   Ward was later found  and captured while hiding out in a home in Virginia Beach. Recently, a second man turned himself in. Two men remain at-large.
       Leaders of the SWAT team  said they watched the Morris home for several hours before they forced their way into the home where it was inhabited by her grandchildren and several  of her adult children.  
         Dr. Wanda Bailey, who is the Deputy City Manager of Chesapeake,  has been tasked with monitoring the restoration process and seeing “that each of Ms. Morris’ needs are attended.”
       “As you can see we did not wait around before we got busy on acting on helping Mrs. Morris,” Bailey said.
       Neither City Manager Harrell nor his deputy could pinpoint when the restoration process would begin or when the Morris family will be able to return to the dwelling.
       Ms. Morris was at work when the forced entry occurred. She said that widows were broken out, that the furniture and possessions in closets and drawers were pulled out and tossed about the house. Tear gas canisters were launched into the house. Ms. Morris said the toxic fumes and the disarray caused her family to abandon the house.
       Harrell  said that  the city has acquired some estimates from contractors to restore the home.  Further, Ms. Morris is being compensated for all expenses being incurred while she is  living with friends in Norfolk. Originally the city had proposed to house Ms. Morris and her family in a hotel. She opted not to do that.

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