Hard News: Bruce Gellerman, WBUR

8 Rules for Reporting Breaking News

I began recording audio around 1:10 am, soon after arriving near the scene in Watertown. The only thing I knew at the time was that there was a shootout and explosions on a city street. I had no idea what the story was and simply began asking questions as I tried to get closer to scene. When I returned to the station in the early morning hours I listened back to my recordings and tried to make sense of the experience and my emotions. I wanted to share both with WBUR's listener using the sounds I had gathered. The result is this piece of a reporter on the scene of a breaking news story.

Watertown Cop: 'We Thought It Was Just A Carjacking'

Just before 1 am on April 18, 2013 Watertown Police Department Sargent John MacLellan turned onto Laurel Street and into the history books. Sgt MacLellan was the second officer on the scene when the alleged Boston Marathon bombers were located. Never before had police officers in the US engaged in a shootout where bombs were thrown at them. Days later I walked Laurel Street with Sgt MacLellan and produced this story.