Councilman Flores apologizes

Ward 2 official comes under fire for comments made about shooting

After a fatal shooting early May 27 in Lorain, Ward 2 Councilman Dennis Flores said he responded with comments expressing frustration about young people who turn to violence.

However, the comments were “slandering” and a sad response to a sad situation, said Kyriece Brooks, a Ward 2 resident who challenged Flores for his Council seat last year.

Lorain police continue investigating the shooting that claimed the life of Andre Eugene Hines, 23, of Lorain, who suffered multiple gunshot wounds.

Hines was shot in an alley in the 2800 block of Apple Avenue about 2:20 a.m., May 27, according to a police report.

On May 29, Flores said he hopes to speak at an event

“Was it inappropriate? Yes it was. For that, I apologize.”

— Lorain Councilman Dennis Flores

planned May 31 in reaction to the incident.

Imam Paul Hasan, who has been outspoken against violence, hatred and racism in Lorain and northeast Ohio, confirmed he is planning a news conference May 31 to call for a “cease fire” in Lorain.

Hasan is co-planner for the “Stop the Madness! Stop the Violence! Increase the Peace!” event June 15 to mark the 25th anniversary of the first gang summit.

Meanwhile, Flores turned to Facebook to comment on the situation and his reaction prompted a “social media frenzy,” he said May 29.

“It was not specifically about the guy that got shot,” Flores said May 29. “I was commenting on the culture of these young men.”

After the shooting, Flores posted: “Here we go … sirens at 2:48 a.m. like clock work.”

A commenter, identified online as “Mark Davis,” posted: “It be like dis if da weedz man rips me off I got my hi point 40 on dat (expletive)in if i rip off da weeds man he gonna have his hi point pointed at me fo realz … Pop Pop …”

Flores responded: “Brothaz be at da club spending weedz man’s money, (expletive) ‘N’ you got my money? POP, POP, POP, POP, POP cuz that’z how we roll in So Lo … pop that (expletive)

Mark Davis!!!”

“Was it inappropriate? Yes it was. For that, I apologize,” Flores said.

The comments were not meant to be about Hines, he said.

However, they were about the mentality of young men who get into gangs and drug dealing, Flores said.

“In my travels in the Second Ward, I see these guys and I hate it, I really do hate their mentality,” he said.

Even so, the comments were outrageous, said Brooks, who added people have been sending him social media notices about possible racist comments from Flores.

“When I saw the comments, it really threw me for a loop to even talk like that,” said Brooks, who operates an elementary school computer lab for Lorain City Schools.

He ran as a write-in candidate against Flores last year.

“There’s no reason to even say that,” Brooks said. “This whole situation is out of line and the people in this community – black, white, Chinese, purple, blue — they’re all upset.”

Early May 27, Flores said he heard the gunshots ring out.

Brooks, who operates the Lorain County Stop the Violence community program, said he went out to the crime scene early May 27.

“Like any shooting, like any crime scene, it’s sad,” he said.

Flores also responded

on Facebook that “those houses on Apple ave [sic] are a slum.”

Brooks said his cellular phone has been ringing since then with people reacting to Flores’ remarks.

“They believe, and I believe, that this is how he really feels about this in his ward,” Brooks said.

He called for Flores to resign from office and for other city officials to censure him, up to removing Flores from Lorain Council.

“I’m getting sick and tired of people slandering the African American culture and nothing getting done,” Brooks said. “And vice versa. If he said that about a Caucasian person, I would feel the same way.”

Flores said he communicated with Anthony Barnhill, owner of Cotton Club, and Howard Washington, owner of Club Our Space.

The Lorain police report referred to patrons leaving “a nearby club.”

At least one person named “Our Space” as the location of the shooting in a social media post, and Flores said on Facebook “I guess that’s why I don’t do the Cotton Club!”

The owners are business people in the community and are trying to prevent violence in their establishments, Flores said.

“Right now, I would just like to apologize to the club owners because none of it happened in their clubs,” he said. “At this point, let’s hope we don’t have any more shootings.”

Flores