Photographer mistaken for shooter
Michelle Rivera, CT News Reporter
April 17, 2007
Shaozhuo Cui has done a lot in his two years as a Collegiate Times photographer. But nothing will trump yesterday, when the senior computer science major and CT photo editor found himself staring down the barrels of two heavily armed police officers because he "fit the profile."
Cui was mistakenly apprehended as a suspect for the shootings yesterday but was later released.
"I guess I matched the profile of being Asian and wearing a black jacket, and I can't blame them for being cautious," he said. His camera, camera case and two forms of ID were confiscated, and he has yet to reclaim them.
Cui's day began photographing police activity at West Ambler-Johnston Hall yesterday morning. Receiving a tip that a second round of shootings had occurred at Norris Hall, Cui ran towards the new location.
He was in a crowd of among several other people who were walking at a normal pace and continued to take pictures. He said that there was a police officer stationed in front of Burruss Hall.
Then a shot was fired. As officers directed the group of onlookers in away from Burruss Hall, Cui stood his ground.
"When people started going across the Drillfield, that's when I ran to the podium on the Drillfield in front of Burruss. I ducked a little because I was a little taller than the stone I was hiding behind, and I felt safe from Norris where the shooter was," Cui said.
Over the next several minutes, Cui took photos from several vantage points, witnessing several stages of Norris' evacuation: groups of students with hands over their heads, individuals being led by police officers, students alone, stumbling out of the building.
He later looked around the rock again to find that two officers were looking back at him. They both had machine guns, Cui said, and upon catching sight of him, pointed their guns in his direction saying, "What are you doing here? Get out of here." Cui then followed their direction and headed away from his position toward Torgersen Hall.
"I guess they changed their minds · and they said, ÎGet on your knees,'" Cui said.
He did as he was told, and the officers put him on the ground, cuffed his hands behind his back and searched his bag. According to Cui, one officer spoke on his radio and said, "We've got a suspect matching the profile."
Cui was then placed in the care of two different officers. Cui says that though police responded to a rumor of further fire on the Tech tennis courts, his guardians remained with him.
"I told the cops, ÎI'm the safest one on campus because I'm with two cops,'" Cui said. "They laughed."
Approximately three hours later, he was taken to a police vehicle where his belongings were confiscated. At approximately 12:30 p.m., Cui was released. The police said that they would contact him about his possessions.
"I think they handled it ok," Cui said. "When you think about the fact that about 30 people died, there's so much confusion, and no one knows what's going on. I feel they had to do their job and can't blame them for being cautious."