A would-be thief came up empty-handed after attacking a photographer who frequently shoots University of Louisville games for UofLCardGame. The assailant fled after inflicting severe pain on a good friend and associate.
Cindy Rice Shelton has been taking photos for Card Game since we became acquainted during the UofL baseball season. I was impressed with her shooting eye, and her work during the football and basketball seasons has significantly enhanced the graphics on the site.
Shelton, who was courtside Thursday for the UofL-Maryland women’s basketball game, had left the KFC Yum! Center at approximately 9:30 p.m. She had uploaded her SD cards to her laptop computer and was returning to her car a couple of blocks away.
After crossing the street at First and Main, someone attacked her, attempting to grab one or both of her cameras. “I had my cameras criss-crossed around my body,” she said. “When he couldn’t get the cameras, he just knocked me down on the sidewalk and ran away.”
“I was in severe pain, bloodying a knee and elbow, and having fallen on one of my cameras,” she said. “I didn’t know if I would be able to get up by myself.”
Cindy couldn’t describe the assailant because she never got a look at him. “I never saw him,” she said. “It was a snatch and run attempt, and he was gone. Unfortunately, nothing can be done about it.”
The worst part of the ordeal was that there were three lanes of traffic at the stop light and no one offered her any help. “The headlights of the cars were shining on us, and a lot of people saw it. Not one single person stopped,” she said. “No one got out of their car. Nobody did anything.”
Cindy plans to continue taking photos of Louisville athletic events as long as she is physically possible. “I love UofL sports and doing photography is my passion. I love what I do.”
Kenny Klein and Ira Green, of the UofL Sports Information staff, expressed sincere regrets for Cindy’s unfortunate experience. Green sent her a message Friday morning, letting her know press parking will be available to her much closer to the KFC Yum! Center.
We’re sorry it happened, Cindy. We look forward to enjoying your work and wish we could pay you what you are worth.
Wow! I was headed south on 2nd to the Witherspoon garage about that time after the game when a young guy in a black coat went zipping by me on the sidewalk to River Road. Not sure if it was same guy but this guy was moving fast.
So sorry to hear about Cindy. Nice lady.
Paulie
To borrow some phases from the late George Carlin.
The bystanders and watchers are a bunch of chicken shit coward ass sucking son-of-bitches. I hope you never need help.
Though I have not traveled overseas in years, it used to be — and may still be the case — that in some countries it was dangerous for a tourist, or I suppose most any pedestrian, to carry cameras in popular public places. It was well-known that some people would slash your, usually leather, camera neck strap with a knife, then grab your camera and run.
Knowing this, I took precautionary measures, even though I was never assaulted like Cindy. When I was out and about, in addition to the strap around my neck, a small but strong metal chain, fashioned from a steel mesh dog collar, was affixed to the tripod mount on the bottom of the camera and the other end to my belt.
I do hope Cindy has no more encounters with thieves, but she might want to take another precaution I have used, and that is to etch her name and address on the bottom of the camera body.