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CNN Live Sunday

Several Hurt In Money Firing Cannon Incident

Aired September 14, 2003 - 16:40   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Something else that frightened a lot of Floridians: cannon fire. It left a dozen people injured Friday at a shopping center there. They were hurt in a mob scramble for $10,000 in cash fired from a cannon. Details now from Brian Gough of station WTVT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN GOUGH, WTVT CORRESPONDENT: As soon as the money flew out of the cannon, the crowd of more than 1200 people reacted. They reached skyward to grab what they could and they lurched into one another to get what hit the ground. And standing shoulder to shoulder, it was inevitable people would get pushed around and tempers would flair.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was horrible. I was knocked down. My daughter was knocked down. It's not worth a dollar.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I got my face punched in. This is crazy with no security out there.

GOUGH: Not worth it?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not worth it. That guy is sad.

GOUGH: That guy is Kevin Shelton. He calls himself the money man. And he gives away thousands of dollars all in the name of hope and love. But that isn't the way many people saw it after getting pushed and shoved.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They attacked my kid! All right? This isn't love. This isn't hope and peace. This is a madhouse. And this is wrong!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Children were down here. This was not a way to help the community. This was a publicity stunt for his own benefit.

GOUGH: But not everybody saw it that way.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We get a lot of push. It's too crowded but it's the best I ever saw in my life.

GOUGH: By the time the event was over, 12 people were hurt. Six of them had to be taken to the hospital. No one was seriously injured, however. The man at the center of it all admits there is a danger in all this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's something to be concerned about, and it's something that I'll prepare for and prepare more for as the crowds get bigger and as I grow I see that happening. I will prepare for that.

GOUGH: Through it all there were no arrests. Kevin Shelton, who needed a police escort to leave, says he does this because he grew up poor and would like to see others get something for nothing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: That report from Brian Gough of affiliate WTVT.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired September 14, 2003 - 16:40   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Something else that frightened a lot of Floridians: cannon fire. It left a dozen people injured Friday at a shopping center there. They were hurt in a mob scramble for $10,000 in cash fired from a cannon. Details now from Brian Gough of station WTVT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN GOUGH, WTVT CORRESPONDENT: As soon as the money flew out of the cannon, the crowd of more than 1200 people reacted. They reached skyward to grab what they could and they lurched into one another to get what hit the ground. And standing shoulder to shoulder, it was inevitable people would get pushed around and tempers would flair.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was horrible. I was knocked down. My daughter was knocked down. It's not worth a dollar.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I got my face punched in. This is crazy with no security out there.

GOUGH: Not worth it?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not worth it. That guy is sad.

GOUGH: That guy is Kevin Shelton. He calls himself the money man. And he gives away thousands of dollars all in the name of hope and love. But that isn't the way many people saw it after getting pushed and shoved.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They attacked my kid! All right? This isn't love. This isn't hope and peace. This is a madhouse. And this is wrong!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Children were down here. This was not a way to help the community. This was a publicity stunt for his own benefit.

GOUGH: But not everybody saw it that way.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We get a lot of push. It's too crowded but it's the best I ever saw in my life.

GOUGH: By the time the event was over, 12 people were hurt. Six of them had to be taken to the hospital. No one was seriously injured, however. The man at the center of it all admits there is a danger in all this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's something to be concerned about, and it's something that I'll prepare for and prepare more for as the crowds get bigger and as I grow I see that happening. I will prepare for that.

GOUGH: Through it all there were no arrests. Kevin Shelton, who needed a police escort to leave, says he does this because he grew up poor and would like to see others get something for nothing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: That report from Brian Gough of affiliate WTVT.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com