WTHR often reports on crimes that happen in central Indiana, but in a recent attempted mugging, it was one of our own reporters who was the victim.
WTHR reporter Emily Longnecker is speaking out about the attack that occurred last Friday in downtown Indianapolis - in broad daylight.
Indianapolis Metro Police say Robert Shelton repeatedly punched her while trying to steal her wallet as she left the dry cleaners. Good Samaritans stepped in and helped catch and hold Shelton until police could arrest him. Shelton is a convicted rapist who had recently gotten out of prison. He will stay in jail following Wednesday's court appearance.
Emily posted the following message to Facebook:
Facebook Friends and Channel 13 Viewers:
"As a reporter in this city for almost 10 years, I've had the privilege of covering news stories that impact many of you in some way.
I never thought that one day, I might become part of a news story, but that's just where I have found myself since this past Friday morning. Some of you may have seen a story Channel 13 ran tonight about a man assaulting a woman in broad daylight in downtown Indianapolis outside a dry cleaners in the Marsh Plaza off of East New York Street.And yes, Channel 13 named that woman. They had my permission because that woman was me.
I want you to know that first off, I am ok and doing much better than you might expect.
I have no visible injuries at this point, but Channel 13 graciously encouraged me to take a few days off to process what happened both for my physical and emotional well being.
I will tell you, I believe this was really a case of the wrong place at the wrong time and that I believe this could have happened to anyone.
I simply was getting out of my car to go retrieve some dry-cleaning when I man approached me and asked if he could ask me a question.
I simply told him, after meeting his gaze directly, that I didn't have any cash on me. I assumed that was the question he was about to ask. Although, I guess I will never know now, but given what happened next, I doubt he was there to make small talk.
There was a brief pause, a moment of simple silence and then this man attacked me. He grabbed for my wallet, while trying to push me back inside my car. Then he began punching me in the face and head.
I pulled my wallet back to me, not because I cared really what was in it, but my reflex was simply to not let someone I didn't know, take something from me that didn't belong to him.
It was just my instinct. I began to scream loudly and it seemed forever before he stopped hitting me. At one point, he ran around to the front of my car, turned around and looked me. I was still in shock and couldn't believe what had just happened. It was like the world was moving in slow motion.
Then, as we stood there for a moment looking at each other, I felt a rage well up inside of me and that feeling just took over. I began screaming and chasing this man down the street. Others who had witnessed the final moments of the attack and heard the screaming, joined the chase.
I have described it like that scene in one of the Rock movies, where Rocky is running alone in the Italian neighborhood and before you know it, people start to join his run.
Well, that's just what happened here. The man, and the others chasing him, got ahead of me and by the time I rounded a corner a few blocks away, some people had tackled him and had him on the ground.. Others were already calling police on their cell phones.
For my part, I took a moment to gather myself and then screaming with rage, told the man to look at me. I told him he had messed with the wrong woman and that I was not the one. I told him how dare he lay hands on a woman, how dare he touch me, how dare he think he would take from me what did not belong to him.
I will say, I'm not advocating for this kind of response. It was just my response, one that seemed to come instinctually in that moment.
Police got there in what seemed like an instant. I cannot thank those wonderful officers enough. They were kind to me. They were compassionate and they were thorough. They gave me water. They gave me an ice pack for my face and they told me I had done a good job.
I later learned, the man who attacked me, had been released from prison in April after serving 20 years on a 40 year sentence for rape.
My parents pray for my safety every night, and I will just say, after learning about this man's history, "There, by the Grace of God, I go."
There have been moments in the past 5 days where I have asked, "Why Me?" But the truth is…"Why not me?"
Bad stuff happens to good people every single day. I see it. I report on it. This time, I was part of it.
I'm no hero and I wouldn't even consider myself all that brave. I never knew what I would do in that kind of situation, but I found out my instinct is just to fight.
I think everyone's answer is personal and different and really depends on what and who you are facing in that moment. I wanted to be honest about exactly what happened from my perspective, what I said, what I did, where I was and who helped me in my moment of need.
After all, if it was one of you, I most certainly would be asking if you'd be willing to tell me your story. So, I felt it was only the right thing to do, to share mine.
I can only hope, it helps someone. I can only hope my actions last Friday, prevented this person from hurting others, maybe someone more vulnerable than me.
I want to thank the people who helped chase this man down. You came to the aid of a stranger in a world where sometimes people just don't want to get involved or risk their own safety…but you did. Thank-you. Truly.
I want to thank the officers of IMPD's Downtown District. You've got such a difficult job and I'm so personally thankful for the work you do and the comfort you gave me last week. I will NEVER forget it.
To my Channel 13 Family. I would not have gotten through those initial hours without you. Thank-you for coming along side of me, for the notes and flowers and phone calls and the love you have all shown me in these past 5 days. It has left me humbled and at times, overwhelmed
So there you have it, that's the story. That's the one I would have told on air, just like I've asked of many of you to do. And that's the story I will tell if and when I have to face this man in court.
Just know that I'm ok. I appreciate all of your messages and kind words. I've been resting up with Luca who has been thrilled to have me home more than usual.
I'm looking forward to getting back on air and telling the stories that matter to all of us.Thanks Again."
