Public's reaction to robbery, shootout

MOBILE, Ala. - The scene at the First Baptist Church of Tillman's Corner is a stark contrast from what it was a little over 24 hours ago. Tracks from rims have left their mark on the church parking lot, while the entire incident has left its mark on the community.

"I was in the parking lot and I heard a lot of shooting," said Toriano Alston. "A buddy thought it was fireworks. I said it sounded more like Vietnam or Iraq."

"I was at the Dollar Store," said Lequida Patterson. "It sounded like someone shot off a pack of firecrackers."

But it wasn't firecrackers, it was crackling gun fire. There were at least 30 bullet holes in bank robber James Hill's car, which came to a stop near a children's day care.

"I think maybe one (shot) could've held him, stopped him," said Alston. "I didn't think it took that many. I saw the car, looked like smithereens, shredded cheese."

Roman Upshaw disagrees. "It doesn't matter where he was," he said. "All the more reason by the day care. Take him out before he hurts someone else. Police have a right to defend themselves and protect the citizens of Mobile."

Patterson thought it was excessive. "He could've got out and run in (the day care), that's true, but that was a lot of shots fired."

Witness Kenneth Blackmon also felt the amount of gunfire was abundant. "I believe he was hurt when he wrecked his car," he said. "He was hurt, he wasn't going nowhere."

One witness who had a very good luck at the shootings, said when Hill reached for his weapon and drew it, it looked like he was pointing it directly at her.

"I'm sitting there, as far as I could see, it looked like a plain old automatic gun," said the woman who identified herself as Rosiland. "I don't know what he could've been thinking. I hate he had to go that way, but that baby brought it on himself."