Tragedy Over Phoenix

Video can be seen here.. Please be warned, it's not very pleasant.

My heart goes out to the victims and the victim's families tonight. Two news helicopters in Phoenix, AZ crashed into one another while covering a police chase. Channel 3 and Channel 15 have suffered greatly today. May God bring peace and healing to the people of KNXV and KTVK.

I cannot say anything more. Words fail me.

There Is No News Here

Yesterday my reporter Jacque and I got the call to head to a daycare that had a car go through it. I started praying that there were no children injured because all I could think of was daycare + car into building = massive casualties.

We got the word halfway there that there was only one little girl with a bruise to the leg which was a blessing but we still headed out to the daycare. I mean, really how many times do you get to see a car parked inside a daycare center anyways?

Jacque and I no sooner pull up when a woman with a very bad attitude came over to our truck yelling and I quote, "There is no news here and I don't want you here! No one was injured so you don't have any news to report! Go away."

I asked the lady, who identified herself as the owner of the daycare center, if we were parked on her property. She said that I wasn't on her property and repeated her rant.

As I got out of the live truck, I told her that my reporter would determine what was newsworthy and what wasn't. Then I asked her, if there was nothing to see and there was no news here, then what was that big hole doing in the front of the building?

This lady also tried to prevent people from talking to us about what happened. A lot of things I'll let slide but this is not one of them. I can't tolerate people trying to bully others from their first amendment rights. We told the woman we were trying to interview that she had every right and freedom to talk to us, no matter what the owner of the daycare said, and we told her loud enough for the daycare owner to hear it.

Should I Laugh Or Cry?

They're still killing each other in Cleveland, overnights. Past two days, two more homicides. We're well beyond last years total number and we're only halfway through the year. This morning's homicide was rough because of all the wailing and screaming going on. It would have seemed comical if it wasn't so tragic. Like the Eddie Murphy routine where the aunt falls down the stairs screaming, " Oh LORD..HELP ME JESUS..OH MY GOD, Oh LORD...MY SHOE!!"

It went on like that for about twenty minutes. I hated that my warped mind went to that scene from the Murphy standup routine but it did. I almost wanted to laugh but kept it inside. It's a tragic thing, someone dying but I suppose if you're in this business and you can't find humor in the horror, then you should get out of the news gathering business.

New Addition To The Family

Welcome "Z"!! A 5 year old purebred Australian Cattle Dog. She's a rescue dog from the local shelter here and is just adorable. Loves our kids and is extremely gentle. Loves to "herd" tennis balls.

Make It Stop!!

Five more people shot this morning. I ran all over Cleveland's Fourth police district, chasing down three people shot within minutes of each other. I also was chasing all the police cars when they went chasing the suspects. I found one suspect getting a gunshot residue test on him which I was very lucky to stumble on. And a very nice officer called me over to get a shot of the suspects gun.

In all another busy night. TGIF!

Well, I Asked For It....

Total of 11 people shot overnight tonight. One triple homicide, two wounded at one scene. Four others shot outside a bar, one man shot in the head outside another bar and one woman found stabbed to death in her house.

I was sent to the triple homicide. A Cleveland firefighter is accused of shooting five of his neighbors, killing three of them. It may be over a late night fireworks display but signs are pointing to an ongoing bad neighbor situation.

When I arrived at the scene I was by myself (I usually am). I was the only media person there so when I walked up to the tape with the camera, a very upset family member started yelling at me, "Don't even think of bringing that camera here. I'll kick your ass and break that camera!!" Around him, five other people (mildly inebriated), possibly relatives, were heading my way as well.

A police officer stopped the one man and turned him around letting the guy know, "He has a job to do." They all turned away and walked off but to be sure, a police officer was set to shadow me for about twenty minutes while cooler heads prevailed. I never even muttered a word. The camera was down to my side.

I'm still not 100% over being outnumbered 6:1 but I'm grateful to the CPD for diffusing the situation and understanding that I had a right to be there and not turning a blind eye to what might have happened.

Sometimes I hate being the only one on scene when I know I'm going into a bad situation. Like the saying says, "There's safety in numbers..."

Something Please Happen!!

It's been slow. Waaaay too slow. I'm not one to wish bad things upon people but man, you'd thing a little something would happen overnight.

I've checked out a few things but they've not been newsworthy. I know the old saying, "A watched pot never boils.." but it seems that it's been a good while for any kind of spot news lately.

Where's a chicken to sacrifice to the news gods??