Paris video journalist Oleg Cetinic hustled to provide the first live images and other exclusive content from the scene of a double-stabbing outside the former offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.
Cetinic, who has covered multiple extremist attacks in France, received an early tip from a friend near the attack scene, and knew to take the tip seriously even before the details became clear. He alerted colleagues and rushed to the site with photographer Thibault Camus. The chief Paris police spokeswoman wasn’t even aware of the stabbing until AP called to ask about it.
A bloodied cleaver lies at the feet of a police officer after an attack in Paris, Sept. 25, 2020.
PHOTO BY Soufian Fezzani via AP
In addition to his first live shot, filed by phone via the Bambuser app, Cetinic quickly found and interviewed a witness and obtained exclusive video and photos from another witness, including images of the weapon and the attack scene. Meanwhile, AP aggressively filed text as police hunted the attacker and carried out arrests, staying on top of sometimes contradictory information from authorities and other media.
Cetinic’s fast action, and the quick response by the rest of AP’s Paris staff, provided customers swift on-the-scene images that beat other major agencies and were widely used. At one point some 20 clients booked AP’s live signal.
Police investigate in the area of a double stabbing near the former offices of satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, in Paris, Sept. 25, 2020.
AP Photo / Thibault Camus