Gee, Officer Krupke

Police Reports of the Events Surrounding West Side Story

Filed By Ofc. Marty Krupke & Lt. Jenson Shrank
By: Josiah Turner
November 23rd, 2014

Police Report
Case Number 525600696
Date: 15 July 1956
Prepared By: Ofc. Krupke
Incident Type: Physical Dispute
Address of Occurrence: Saint John's Park, Varick St, New York,
NY 10013
Witnesses:
Alan Perez: Store Owner, Male, 43, Latino
Michael Sinnclair: Unemployed, Male, 28, Caucasian
Evidence:
Signs of struggle and wounds on parties involved
Weapons/Objects Used:
Hands/Fists, Rotten Fruit
On July 15th, 1956, at approximately 15:23, several members of
two rival gang under the names The Jets (Made up of
exclusively white males) and The Sharks (Made up of Puerto
Rican members) involved themselves in a large scale fight.
Several witnesses claim that the gangs chased each other up and
down the streets surrounding Saint Johns Park in the West Side
of Manhattan and through the Trash Dump located near by. Alan
Perez, an owner of a fruit stand in the predominately Puerto
Rican part of the area claims that members of The Jets stole
several pounds worth of fruit which was then thrown at The
Sharks in an ambush type situation in the trash dump. A member
of The Jets was questioned by Lt. Schrank on the scene. The
boy, Baby John AKA John Richardson showed signs of a struggle
and was bloodied. When questioned about which of The Sharks
bloodied him, another member of The Jets, Riff AKA Eric
Johnson answered saying As a matter factuality, sir, we
suspicion the job was done by a cop!. The story was then
cooberated by one Snowboy AKA Alan Jackson who continued on to
say Two Cops. It was obvious that the boys were lying so Lt.
Schrank and I left the scene issuing a warning to members of
both of the gangs and specifically to Bernardo Sanches of the
Sharks to keep their fighting out of the neighborhood.

Police Report
Case Number 525600787
Date: 16 July 1956
Prepared By: Ofc. Krupke
Incident Type: Disturbance
Address of Occurrence: 210 Church St, New York, NY 10013
Witnesses:
Michael Janson: Busboy, Male, 25, Black
Eric Cummings: Student, Male, 19, Caucasian
Elanore Rigby: Store Clerk, Female, 23, Caucasian
Evidence:
Signs of Struggle, Witness Report
Weapons/Objects Used:
Hands/Fists
On July 16th, 1956, at approximately 20:28 members of The
Sharks and The Jets began a fight in the Gym on Church Street
during a dance being held there. Witnesses claim that Tony
Anton Michaels was caught dancing with a Puerto Rican girl by
the name Maria Sanches who is the sister of The Sharks gang
leader Bernardo Sanchez. Heated words were exchanged by both
parties but I was already on the scene to stop anything from
escalating further. Michael Janson, a busboy who works at a
Tops Diner down the street claims to have seen the entire
episode, This white boy over here, Tony I think they call him,
well he laid eyes on that chick Maria and they looked just about
ready to fall in love. They danced for a bit and talked, I don't
know what was said, but as soon as they got close to smooching
that Bernardo guy pushed him off and it looked like they was
gunna fight somethin fierce. said Janson. When confronted,
Bernardo Sanchez and Eric Johnson (Riff) answered by claiming
that they were trying to become friends so that their gangs
would not fight, they then left the gym together to Talk
Business according to one witness. Elanore Rigby, a young woman
who works weekends at Docs Pharmacy down Located on Leonard
Street, claims the two spoke of a War Council to take place
later this week. They was talking up a storm about fists or

knives or guns or somethin or other, I just went back inside to

dance, I don't wanna get mixed up in what this boys are doing.
She said. Lt. Schrank has posted me around the area to keep up
with the two gangs violent behavior.

Police Report
Case Number 525600788
Date: 17 July 1956
Prepared By: Lt. Schrank
Incident Type: Disturbance
Address of Occurrence: 87 Leonard St, New York, NY 10013
Witnesses:
James Simmons: Unemployed, Male, 43, Caucasian
Evidence:
Witness Report
Weapons/Objects Used:
N/A
On July 17th, 1956 at Approximately 22:19, I was called to the
apartment of a James Simmons who has a window facing Docs
Pharmacy and called due to a disturbance in and around the
pharmacy. According to James, Members of the Jets were shouting
and making an overall ruckus in and around Docs, waking Simmons
up. When he threatened the youth, they threatened to Pummel
him and Make him a real man or something of that sort. There
was a bunch of kids just hanging around docs, shouting and
yelling about bein antsy cuz of some war council or something
or other coming up soon and no waitin on them No Good Puerto
Ricans to show up. They were all out there, shouting and
causing one hell of a ruckus, but then one kid, Riff or
something started giving this big ol speech about Being cool
and I just lost it. Upon my arrival on the scene I found that
members of both Gangs were on the scene including Bernardo
Sanchez, Pepe Sylvia, Chino Salvyastra, and Indio Cabrera of the
Sharks. Members of the Jets included Baby John AKA John
Richardson, Riff AKA Eric Johnson, Snowboy AKA Alan Jackson,
A-Rab AKA Austin Ritche, Diesel AKA Chevy Hardy, Anton
Michaels, and Action AKA Dennis Smith. Along with the Jets
were two women, Velma Ericson and Graziella Smith who are dating
Smith and Johnson respectively. When I arrived on the scene the
gangs were mixed in the Pharmacy, but I knew they had only
mixed so I wouldn't catch on to what had happened. I issued a

warning to the kids and they left, except for Anton Michaels and
Doc who stayed to close up.

Police Report
Case Number 525600801
Date: 18 July 1956
Prepared By: Lt. Schrank
Incident Type: Homicide
Address of Occurrence: 533 Canal St, New York, NY 10013
Witnesses:
Jamie Smith: Store Clerk, Male 56, Caucasian
Evidence:
The Bodies of Bernardo Sanchez and Eric Johnson, Two
Switchblades, Signs of Struggle, Witness Report
Weapons/Objects Used:
Switchblades, Fists
On July 18th, 1956 Officers were called to the Underpass of 533
Canal Street to respond to what witnesses called A large
fight. When officers arrived on the scene, all suspects had
fled, although witnesses claim to have still seen suspects that
resemble Anton Michaels and Lucinda Jamie (Anybodys) fleeing the
scene directly before we arrived. The bodies of Bernardo Sanchez
and Eric Johnson were found about 12 feet apart. Both had
sustained multiple stab wounds and had bled out before any help
could arrive on the scene. Witness, Jamie Smith had this to say,
I was driving down here to visit my sister in law after she had
her baby and I look over and see those boys just going at it,
they were punching the shit out of one another! I didn't see
anyone get stabbed though, that must have happened before I got
there. I don't know whats gotten into these boys these days.
It is believed as of now that the two killed one another in what
escalated from fists. Several officers were sent to round up
any others who might have been hiding on the scene but none were
found.

Police Report
Case Number 525600823
Date: 19 July 1956
Prepared By: Ofc. Krupke
Incident Type: Fleeing Suspects
Address of Occurrence: 535 Broadway, New York, NY 10012
Witnesses:
Enrique Sylvia: Domestic Worker, Male, 56, Puerto Rican
Alan Perez: Store Owner, Male, 43, Latino
Evidence:
Officer Report, Witness Report
Weapons/Objects Used:
N/A
On July 19th, 1956, I was patrolling the area that is claimed
sovereign by the street gang The Jets when I stumbled upon
several of the members of the gang who are also suspects in the
murders of Bernardo Sanches and Eric Johnson. The members on the
scene were Austin Ritche (A-Rab), Chevy Hardy (Diesel), John
Richardson (Baby John), Dennis Smith (Action) and Alan Jackson
(Snowboy). When told to halt and stand still the suspects ran
east down Broadway and turned on to Spring Street where they
were lost to me. After approximately another hour I found where
they had been due to witness report. Enrique Sylvia, a domestic
worker who looked out onto the street when the members of the
gang found shelter in the alley overlooked by the home where he
works said this, There were about five of those boys, and they
were tearing it up something fierce. One of them was wearing a
police hat and pretending to be a police officer, Gee, Officer
Krupke I think they were sayin. He stuffed a watermelon down
his shirt to look fat and danced around real silly while the
others begged him for mercy claiming they had all sorts of
things wrong with them so they shouldn't be taken in. It was
actually pretty funny. While Alan Perez had only this to say,
First they steal fruit to throw at each other not a week ago,
now they're parading with my fruit down their shirts to make fun

of the crap police we have around here! I tell you if it weren't

for these stupid cops, wed live in a much nicer neighborhood.

Police Report
Case Number 525600837
Date: 19 July 1956
Prepared By: Lt. Schrank
Incident Type: Questioning
Address of Occurrence: 260 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10012
On July 19th, 1956 at approximately 13:10 I went to the home of
Maria Sanchez to question her about the events that had preceded
today. Her home is above a bridal shop, so I was a bit confused
on how to get there at first, but I found m way. Upon entering
the house I was greeted by Anita Delarosa (The girlfriend of the
deceased Bernardo Sanchez). After persistent questioning on the
location of Maria Sanchez, she claimed that Maria was not
feeling well and that I should leave. I did not take my leave
but instead Maria came out of the bedroom to speak to me, asking
Anita to go to Docs Pharmacy and pick something up for her.
When questioned on what it was, Maria simply answered Doc will
know what it is, tell him Im being held up here and that if I
wasnt, I would come down and get it myself. as suspicious as I
was concerning what exactly the nature of what miss Delarosa was
picking up for Maria was, I decided to continue begin my
questioning of Maria. When asked about the by she danced with at
the Gym, she lied and claimed that it was with a Pablo Ramirez
A boy from [her] country. When asked about Anton Michaels she
claimed to have never met him. She claimed to have no
involvement with her brothers death or with The Sharks and
The Jets rivalry and I preceded to leave the house and return
to the office. It was obvious that Ms.Sanchez had no knowledge
of value in these incidents.

Police Report
Case Number 525600803
Date: 19 July 1956
Prepared By: Ofc. Krupke
Incident Type: Homicide, Disturbance
Address of Occurrence: Saint John's Park, Varick St, New York,
NY 10013
Witnesses:
Maria Sanchez: Bridal Shop worker, Female, 17, Puerto Rican
Evidence:
The Body of Anton Michaels, Signs of Struggle, Witness Report
Weapons/Objects Used:
Colt Python Revolver
Officers were called to the scene in Saint Johns Park due to
reports of a noise disturbance. Anton Michaels was heard
shouting Chino! Come and Get me Chino! Come and Get Me too
Chino! etc. all around the lower west side before finishing at
the basketball courts that are placed in Saint Johns Park. A
gunshot was fired and when officers arrived on the scene,
members of The Sharks and members of The Jets were crowded
around the body of Anton Michaels who had been shot once in the
chest. He was being cradled by Maria Sanchez who had been seen
threatening the members of both gangs with the gun claiming We
all killed him because of Hate! I can kill now too, because now
I have hate!. After several minutes of sobbing though, she
allowed for the body to be taken off of the scene by several
members of both The Sharks and The Jets. Chino Salvyastra
admitted to the shooting and was taken into custody to await
trial.