It was late in the afternoon of Sept. 10 when we heard police radio traffic over the scanner that caught everyone's attention.
An officer was trying to stop a person in a car and it had evolved into a pursuit. No sooner did it start and the officer reported the suspect's car had struck a child on a bike. It was that second part that raised the situation to one that we must cover.
It is our duty to inform the public of what happens in their community. Sometimes it is a pleasure, other times it is heartbreaking. As I began to drive to the scene, I hoped it was not the latter.
Upon arriving, I saw police officers, firefighters and a fallen bike. After asking questions of bystanders, it was clear that the child's bike was struck but the girl was not seriously injured. Though I am bound to be as objective as possible, that information came as a great personal relief. Still, there was little time for that feeling to sink in.
Within seconds, I saw police officers running and more officers flooding the area. Another bystander clued me in "he ran that way" she said. I grabbed my cameras and headed into the edge of the fray.
Now, this is where adrenalin and common sense like to compete. The chaos of the pursuit with neighbors pointing and yelling can lure journalists into the middle of the action and the middle of danger. I have been guilty of succumbing to the rush on prior occasion but, thankfully, I safely learned my lesson.
My choice at this event was to keep a minimum distance of three homes away from the action and always have a place to hide. There was no report of a weapon but that only means that if there is one, it hasn't been seen yet. So I ran, jogged and walked and carefully watched my surroundings. It was hard to be patient. It was hard to stay back.
Now, you might not believe me when I write it, but I thought I was two full blocks from the chase. These things can go for hours so I had decided to slow down and reevaluate the situation. I never got time for that.
As I was standing on a street corner, surrounded by spectators who also though the pursuit was far away, the suspect came running from between two houses and directly at me. That was a moment of some quick mental expletives. As he ran up the sidewalk, two men behind me cheered and told him to turn and cross the street. To my personal relief, he complied.
As he turned, I began to shoot photos. Just then, a NYS parole officer blasted from between the same two houses, drew his gun and while yelling "get down" tackled the suspect.
It took less than five seconds from the moment I saw the suspect until it was all over. It is a mental twist to roll from one mental state to the other. I went from hoping for everyone's safety to hoping I had the shot.
Twenty minutes later while sitting at my editing terminal I knew I had it.
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WILLIAM P. CANNON / Observer-Dispatch
New York State Parole Officer Anthony Stucchi, left, chases and tackles Joseph Elias, 22, Utica, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008, on Wager Street, in Utica, as residents Tyler Wallace, 8, Noah Napp, 6, and Kathy Docko get out of the way. The suspect fled from police by car, hit a bicycle with a child on it, and then fled on foot, police said. The child was not injured. The man was arrested.
