PIE students learn what it takes to be a reporter
The fourth graders from the classes of Amber Kunkel and Bridget Amico-Dodig gathered recently for a “Freestyle Friday”. During these special days the classes often welcome a guest speaker who provides the students with information and entertainment. The students were invited to become cub reporters on Sept. 1. Each of the students were presented with an actual crime report courtesy of the Lee County Sheriff’s Department. The crime involved a purse snatching that occurred in Fort Myers in August. The report provided the children with descriptions of the victim, the suspect, the witnesses and a narrative collected by the investigating deputy. After discussing the various terms used when writing an article relating a crime and the importance of providing the who, what, when, where and how, the students were asked to write their own article for the Pine Island Eagle. The crime involved a woman, of Hispanic heritage, who was standing on a sidewalk when an unidentified black male rode up to her, allegedly showed her a hand gun, snatched her handbag and fled. He was followed by a witness in a car but eluded his pursuer when he ditched the bike and fled on foot into a patch of woods. The following are a few of the articles produced by the students.
Marri Shallow’s account:
“Aug. 22, 2009 a woman says her purse got stolen from a black man riding a bike traveling west on Glenwood. She claims he rode next to her, showing her a handgun. Reyes don’t speak English so she couldn’t understand him. The boom, he got her purse and rode off down the street. Guilliamo Sanchez says he followed the man down the street. The man dropped the bike and dashed down into the woods. The crime will not solved. Until the perp has been found., but all he got was $30 and some keys.”
Natalle Hill wrote:
“One sunny day on Fort Myers, Mariana Reyes, the cashier, was walking to her job. All was good until a black man wearing a short sleeve, black shirt, short black hair and black sneakers rode up to her on his bike,showed her a handgun, yelled at her something she couldn’t understand because she doesn’t speak English. Snatched her purse and rode towards the woods. There he hopped off his bike and ran into the woods. The suspect still hasn’t been caught today.”
Erin Post wrote:
“There has been a serious crime committed on 4460 Greenwood Avenue on Aug. 22, 2009 in the city of Fort Myers. Here are some of the details: At lunch time he may have been looking for some lunch money I guess, three was what you would call a pedal-by and a purse snatching. The purse carried $30 and car keys. He didn’t get away with much cash, but he will be charged even more for showing the victim, Mariana Reyes a handgun. The suspect has not yet been caught. The victim described her perpetrator to have black hair, brown eyes, 150 pounds, age to be about 20 and height at least 6-feet. Gender, black male wearing a short sleeved shirt with black sneakers. The witness said he was very skinny and the short-sleeves had light colored hem. Be on the look out!”
TJ Clapp reported:
“On Aug. 22, 2009, Mariana Reyes, 30 years old, 4’11” and 140 pounds, was walking down Glenwood, when she saw a black guy in Fort Myers. He unbuttoned his shirt and she saw a handgun and he stole her purse and just got 30 buck and might go to jail! He was on a bike and got chased into the woods. The suspect was never found.”
Josh Sutton wrote:
“One morning on Lynneda and Glenwood Avenue, a armed burglary. The burglar stole a purse. The purse had $30 and keys. Remirez followed the burglar. The burglar ran into the woods. The police have not caught him.”
Karlyn Carr reported:
A suspect stole a purse on Aug. 22, 2009 in Fort Myers. A woman walked down the road when a black man road an unknown bike. He showed the gun and stopped. He said something to the woman but the woman could not speak English. The woman said the man was hair black, eyes brown, age 30, height 4’11” weight 140 pounds. It happened on 4400 Greenwood Avenue, Fort Myers, FL. If you see this suspect know what he looks like.”
Kaitlynn Russell relates the incident this way:
“Be on alert for black male, six foot tall, very skinny, dark complected. Last in wearing a black shirt with short sleeves, a light colored hem on the sleeve. The criminal has short black hair and had on black sneakers. On Aug. 22, 2009, a peaceful afternoon soon turned into a shock for Mariana Reyes, 30 years old, a local Fort Myers woman. The male stole a purse with $30 in it with house keys. The man ran into the woods.”
Cody Newland reported:
“On Aug. 22, 2009, Mariana Reyes became a victim of a purse snatching. The man pulled out a gun and stole her purse. The man was a black male, black hair and brown eyes, weighed 140 pounds 4’11” tall and 30 years old. If you see this man call 911.”
According to Pine Island Elementary School teacher, Kunkel, the 46 students who participated in the Freestyle Friday exercise will continue to use the police report for other projects including a reenactment of the crime during a future class session.