at P.O. Box 43, Norfolk,
MA02056
up in Brockton, Massachusetts. Tom is the son of Lola Irene
Koonce and the late Thomas Koonce Sr. who were good hard
working parents with two other children.
Tom was a true American success story up until July 21, 1987. He
had graduated with high honors from Brockton--High School.
Upon graduation, Tom was accepted at Northeastern University
where he intended to pursue a degree in Law Enforcement. His
dream was to eventually become a member of the Federal Bureau
of Investigation or the State Police. Unable to raise the necessary
finances to fulfill his immediate educational goals, Tom opted to
enlist in the United States Marine Corps. In fulfilling his service to
his country, Tom began working towards his dream in security
forces, while stationed at the Bremerton, Washington Nuclear
Submarine Base.
Tom would finish his tour of duty with the Marines and be
honorably discharged while stationed at the U.S. Naval Station in
Weymouth, Massachusetts. After his tour with the Marines, Tom
found employment with the John Hancock Financial Services and
Sears Roebuck Co., Loss Prevention Department.
While home on leave from the Marines on July 21,1987, Tom and some of his friends went to a
club located in Westport, Massachusetts. Unknown to Tom at the time, was the fact that people
from Brockton, MA were not welcome in the New Bedford area. Tom is Afro-American; the vast.
majority of the residents of the Westport -New Bedford area are of Cape Verdean origin. On
occasion, racial tensions ran high between these two groups.
While at the Club, Tom noticed that plenty of tension existed. A fight had already taken place
and things appeared to be getting out of hand. Tom quickly decided to leave. A friend
suggested that they .go to a party at the United Front Housing Development in New Bedford.
The promise of enjoying his last couple of nights home from the from the Marines was too
inviting to I resist. Tom rode along with his friends. At the Housing Development, Tom noticed
lots of people arriving in cars. Finding parking was difficult, Tom and his friends had to walk
back about a block to the location of the party. It was about at this point that Tom recognized
some of the same people who had been fighting at the Westport Club earlier. Tom and his
friends immediately began to leave the area. Before they could reach their car, they observed
approximately 50 to 75 people approaching them. Some were armed with weapons, (bats,
clubs, iron pipes and other undetermined shining objects). continued
