Breaking News?

Sometimes breaking news is only covered because of timing and resources. Shootings, bank robberies, fights, chases, searches, stand offs, auto/pedestrian accidents, etc happen regularly on a daily basis. There is simply no way to cover everything that happens. Plus, this may be cold but true, who really cares about all of this? Incidents happen and resolve without injuries or without road closings, school lockdowns, evacuation. Sometimes there are injured victims, sometimes there are road closings, school lockdowns, evacuations. But, we still can't cover everything.

Why would we want to cover everything? Why would we want to give airtime to gang shootings or stabbings? As long as the general public isn't affected or in danger, these incidents can be used in a newscast without video or sound, or not even mentioned at all.

But, then there are times these incidents we wouldn't rush to cover happen when everything can fall into place. Tonight, shortly after 5, I heard of a shooting in Montbello, a northeast part of Denver that has plenty of gang problems, with the suspect on foot. Copter4 was in the air for the 5pm newscast.

I immediately moved the copter to the scene. I then told the producer what I was hearing over the scanner. Then I paged the public information officer (PIO) to get confirmed information. Some stations go on the air reporting unconfirmed reports from scanner traffic. It is a very rare occasion when CBS4 News does this. I monitored the scanners and relayed what I was hearing to the copter crew and the booth.

When there was very little time in the newscast left, the PIO called me and confirmed just enough that we could go on the air with a report. At the same time, the copter crew noticed a couple of officers running. The copter photographer followed the running officers and then saw someone running from the officers.

The producer was able to take the copter live as the photographer followed the chase and the copter reporter reported what I'd confirmed and narrated what we were watching live. With seconds to go in the newscast, the suspect trapped himself in a backyard. He got on the ground as police surrounded him, and was handcuffed.

That was Live coverage of Breaking News. If this shooting had happened during another time of day, or while the helicopter wasn't up, it may have never even gotten a mention during a newscast.

Police Look For Shooting Suspects In Montbello

Here's what the file on this shooting says. The most recent information is always at the top.

2-4-09
6:30pm
PIO is now going to the scene... photographer will get sound

559pm
from pio: 1 victim DOA, 1 victim critical at University, 1 person detained for questioning in what his role may or may not have been in this shooting... Homicide detectives have not arrived on scene yet

550pm
from pio: there is one fatal now.. no other information available

530pm
from copter and DPD radio room: one suspect in custody (copter vo).. radio room says two more suspects black males, one wearing a black sweater...

5:20pm
from pio:confirm: dpd responding to a call of a shooting at 5062 Victor Way... two victims transported to University... unconfirmed possible 3 suspects.. black males

5:12pm
from scanner only: 5062 Victor Way, Denver: multiple units responding to a shooting with suspect on foot... sounds like victim is conscious and talking...