Scott Kelby's 3rd Annual World Wide Photowalk Report

So today is the big day. It's my third time leading a walk in Scott Kelby's famous Worldwide Photowalk. I'm excited, I've got my biggest crowd yet. I went out twice last week to check out the route and check-in with the restaurant. We're all set.

I pull into the meeting location 30 minutes prior to the start of the walk this morning, and the entire place is surrounded by CRIME SCENE TAPE!!! Police are everywhere and so are the local TV cameras. I'm guessing the place got robbed - it's a local favorite. So I go up to one of the officer's and explain what I'm doing there and to feel out the situation. Trying to make an 'on-the-scene' decision as to whether I need to regroup and move the walk last minute.

I learn that 30 minutes earlier, a guy shows up for work and out of nowhere a guy pulls up beside him and shoots in in the head! Point blank range. Another worker comes out to see what's going on and pulls out his gun and the two of them literally get in a gunfight. Unreal.

Broken glass, crime scene tape, cops, blood and local media all over the place and all I can think running thru my head is Scott's mantra of SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY.

By now I've got 15 walkers and cameras all over the place and the media is enthralled and the cops are nervous. LOL

Long story short, the "hit" (quite literally as it turns out) was personal and gang related, so I didn't feel I was endangering my walkers (Police Station across the street!) and the walk went off without a hitch. I even got a good shot of a walker running across the tracks while an Amtrak train barreled by - I probably shouldn't have said that...

Totally kidding - kinda - the train was stopped and we staged the photo.

Oh, and after the "thrill" of the shooting died down, the local media came over and interviewed us and asked all about the walk, and at noon on Tuesday they're airing the footage! The cameraman kept zooming in on my Photowalk Leader shirt! Can't wait to see the awesome Rob Jones designed shirt get airtime!

UPDATE: (via WHIG TV)

WHIG-TV RM POLICE: Assault with a Deadly Weapon Inflicting Serious Injury132 S. Church St. - Central Café Victim: Gary Morris, age 52
Suspect: Unknown black male, approximate age range in 20's, 5 ft. 6in. to 5 ft.10 in., medium build to large build, dark complexion, close cut hairstyle, wearing a white t-shirt and dark jeans An unknown male suspect approached an employee, Morris, in the parking lot of Central Café. Before Morris could exit his vehicle, the suspect fired one shot and injured Morris in the chin. Morris was transported to Nash General Hospital for treatment of his non-life threatening injury. This case is an ongoing investigation. If anyone has information on this crime, contact Crime Stoppers at 977-1111, crimestoppers@rockymountnc.gov or case investigator, Detective John Denton at 972-1680.