“Hey Daddy...There’s a man with a gun!”

“Hey Daddy...There’s a man with a gun!”

One New Year’s Day in the early 1970’s, I took my family on a little Sunday drive (one of the few things we could afford in those days.)

Wife Sandi was in the front seat with me.  In the back were sons Brad and Bryan, 3 and 7, and daughter Susan, 11 (going on 20!).

We were just driving around the eastern part of our hometown, Memphis, Tennessee.  This was “back in the day” when gasoline was under a dollar a gallon so a ride just for the fun of it was do-able.

One of the things I am proud that I have taught my kids is the art of observing what is going on around them.  That came into play when suddenly Susan blurted out:  “Hey, Daddy, there’s a man with a gun!”

I looked to my left and, sure enough, there were two men running between parked cars and both had pistols drawn.  I drove away from the scene quickly, but carefully and found a pay phone (remember, this was the 70’s…no cell phones!)  I dialed “0“ (this was also before 911!) and asked the operator for the police. 

I told them what was happening on Winchester Blvd. just east of the airport. I then told my wife to take the kids home and make sure she drove AWAY from the scene of the action. 

Immediately, I also called staff photographer Bernie Mintz, “Mr. spot news.” Then I waited for Bernie’s arrival, which I knew would be under 10 minutes since he lived 20 minutes away!

By the time he arrived police had found out that the owner of a nightclub in the shopping center had come in the day after all of the New Year’s Eve celebrating to clean up and had stumbled upon an armed burglar. 

He then gave chase to the burglar outside in the parking lot.

Bernie was able to get film (before tape!) of the arrest being made and the handcuffed man being led to the patrol car. 

As Bernie and I began wrapping up our information gathering and filming and just as police were leaving the scene, I looked toward the main runway of the nearby airport and saw a thick plume of black smoke.

Bernie and I drove to the airport quickly enough to find that a small plane had crashed jut short of the runway.  Going “through channels” we were able to get film of the plane and details on how the pilot managed to get out of the wreckage with only minor injuries.