Anderson Cooper Rescues Injured Boy From Looting Riot (Graphic)

[Turborama]

Run time: 01:33 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPyYapLjBMA   Posted on YouTube: January 18, 2010 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: January 19, 2010 By DU Member: Turborama Views on DU: 3640

 
IMO taking stuff from shops to sell and throwing chunks of concrete is looting.

We were covering another story when we heard shots being fired. We ran toward the sound and found a store being looted. Two Haitian police officers were occasionally firing into the air to try to keep order, but that only worked for a few moments, then the looting would begin again.

They were stealing boxes of candles. An American businessman named Tony who owns two stores nearby barricaded one street to keep looters away. He had armed the two Haitian police with automatic weapons, and they were assisting him, but they were not able to control anything beyond their barricade.

It quickly became a free-for-all. Young men began fighting one another for the stolen items. A number of young men had knives, and planks of wood, screwdrivers and rocks. They were using their improvised weapons to threaten and injure others who had stolen items from the store. The robbers were now being robbed. One group of looters whipped another man with a leather belt. They punched him as well, and they stole the sack of goods he'd just stolen.

I was in the midst of the melee with Charlie Moore, my producer, Neil Hallsworth my cameraman, Vlad Duthiers, my translator, and there was a still photographer from Getty Images with us, photojournalist Jonathan Torgovnik. As things got really out of control, I saw a looter on the roof of the store they'd broken into throw what I think was part of a concrete block into the crowd. It hit a small boy in the head.

I saw him collapse. More chunks of concrete were being thrown at the looters on the roof. The injured boy couldn't get up. He'd try and then collapse again. Blood was pouring from his head. He was conscious but had no control over his body. I was afraid someone on the roof would see him lying there and throw another cinder block piece onto him. I was afraid he'd get killed. No one seemed to be helping him.

I ran to where he was struggling, and picked him up off the ground. I brought him to a spot about a hundred feet away. I could feel his warm blood on my arms. I stood him up, but he was clearly unable to walk. He wiped his bloody face, and I tried to reassure him. He had no idea where he was, and he clearly couldn't walk, so I picked him up again and handed him over to someone behind that makeshift barricade. Tony, the American businessman, gave the boy a wet towel. He was then taken away by someone else. We don't know what happened to him.

I hope he's ok.

From (more photos): http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2010/01/18/anderson-in-the-midst-of-looting-chaos/

Scroll down this page to see more videos of the unrest: http://www.cnn.com/video/

Raw video: http://www.thedailybeast.com/video/item/anderson-cooper-saves-boy-from-looters

Anderson showed a full version of the event that led up to this incident on AC360 and I'll add it when it's available.

[underpants]

1. A Vanderbilt in the middle of that?

he did good

[glinda]

2. No kidding. Way to go Anderson.

:applause:

[Pretty_in_CodePink]

9. Read his book

He has amazing stories. Super interesting. He is an impressive journalist at his best in the field.

[kestrel91316]

3. Stealing stuff to turn around and sell is the very definition of looting.

As opposed to taking stuff like candles for personal use and actually using them if other light is not available.

For those who are, or pretend to be, confused about the issue.

[Turborama]

4. According to the full report they were selling the candles. n/t

[kestrel91316]

5. Yep, definitely looting.

[Control-Z]

6. My respect for Cooper

is growing by the day.

[spicegal]

7. My goodness, Dr. Gupta and Anderson are certainly getting into the thick of things.

Hope they stay safe.

[j.charles]

8. wow

it's getting nuts

[Berry Cool]

10. Good for him. n/t

[NOLALady]

11. During Katrina

some looted for items to sell or trade for commodities and/or rides out of town.

I do not judge.

[chrisa]

13. They almost killed a young boy.

I can judge based on that that those who did it are thugs.

[NOLALady]

16. Obviously we are discussing different things.

I do not judge 'looters' who are trying to survive and trying to help others survive.

[chrisa]

17. I do agree.

These people threw concrete blocks and hit a kid. I don't think they have the best of intentions in mind. I could be wrong, on the otherhand, of course.

I have no problem with those taking items necessary to survive, however.

[lumberjack_jeff]

12. That's not looting. That's "machete entrepreneurialism".

Poor people don't "loot", they gather.

:crazy:

[Lifelong Protester]

14. Wow, hard to watch, but I give Anderson his props

he's no 'disinterested journalist'.

[Uncle Joe]

15. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Turborama.