CHARLESTOWN, R.I. -- Matthew Thomas, chief sachem of the Narragansett Indian Tribe, remembers the day clearly. It still angers him.
On July 14, 2003, more than 40 Rhode Island state troopers raided the tribe's just-opened smoke shop on Route 2. Both Indians and police were injured during the raid, which quickly turned violent.
"I remember seeing all those big Staties -- they were bigger than me -- and I thought, 'Someone is going to be killed,' " Thomas said Sunday. "They could have handled it differently."
About 45 people gathered outside the former smoke shop -- now used for tribal meetings -- to remember the 10-year-old event.
On orders from then-Gov. Donald L. Carcieri, dozens of officers stormed the grounds and shop to stop the tribe from selling cigarettes without collecting state taxes.