Joe Cunningham was on a sidewalk in Minneapolis when he witnessed a mugger trying to take a woman's purse. He managed to take a couple of photos with his digital camera and called the cops.
It happened very fast in front of me as I was out walking. He shoved her to the ground and they wrestled for her purse. She clung tight and I shouted I was calling the cops. He heard me and gave her bag two more hard yanks and then fled empty-handed into the street. I helped her up and over to the payphone. Once the call was made I sat with her while she waited for the police. Her name is Patricia Yellow Hammer. She was shook up but uninjured save for a scuffed thumb. To pass the time and take her mind off her troubles we had fun making some pictures of random people, and by the time the cops arrived she had her smile back.
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Patricia Yellow Hammer. What an amazing name.
If you adjust the brightness and contrast of the picture here,
http://www.joecunningham.com/20070922b.html
you can see the mugger's face well enough to help identify him.
I'm the photographer who took this. I just noticed an enormous amount of traffic coming in from boingboing and thought I'd come see why. Thanks for the post! You have the headline wrong, however. That was not taken with a cameraphone. I don't have a cellphone (hate them, in fact). I shoot a battered old Sony F-717. Best digital camera for creatives, ever.
What the hell is it with the recent "crimecatcher" entries? Is this becoming Neighborhood Blog Watch or something? Taking pictures of criminals in action is now all hip and web 2.0 or something.
Also:
"Cameraphone photo of pursesnatcher"
[...]
"I helped her up and over to the payphone."
The guy couldn't even lend his cellphone to the poor lady for calling the cops?
...And now I've just read Cunningham's post before me and this explains that. Thanks for clearing that up.
No prob, though I don't think I was attempting to be trendy when it happened. Street photography has been around a lot longer than than the web, the expression "hip," or you and I for that matter.
Thanks for the correction, Joe. My mistake. Great photos!
I don't know what I'd do in this situation, I'd probably just stand there and gawp, unable to decide whether I should try to stop the mugger or call the cops or for help or run like hell. I can tell you what I wouldn't do though: I wouldn't take out my camera and take a photo of the incident.
This is why all citizens should be armed--or at least know how to use a firearm. If it is mandatory, the muggers won't know who has one or not. If they don't know that, they won't go robbing people randomly without a gun of their own.
With a gun of their own, they suddenly get a lot more jailtime, are easier to track down, and they get higher bail. Even without firing it.
Or, take some self defense lessons. Not the best idea, but better than nothing.
It's a shame that our native people of America are still being oppressed.
"native people"? what the hell do you mean by that?
Interesting timing - I just saw this photo on another website I was browsing. Similar topic, very powerful.
Hey Adam. One: the camera was already out and my finger was already on the button (it always is when I walk down the street). All I had to do was squeeze. Two: if I hadn't the police wouldn't have had much to go on. Luckily, I didn't "just stand there and gawp." That would have been unhelpful.
@Joe Cunningham
I get all warm and fuzzy when I see something about a photographer saving the day. Nice job.
If it were me (I admit, I'm a coward), I'd be afraid the guy wouldn't stop at purse-snatching. Maybe he'd see me and kick my ass and then stomp my camera into a million pieces. Then again, I grew up in NYC.
So I guess I just have to say, Joe, you're way braver than I am. Way to go!
'03's lucky Patty didn't carve up his sorry ass.
Thanks for the link Boing Boing. I'm glad this photo got the attention it deserves. It really struck me when I first saw it. Great capture Joe!