The Daily Nightly began on May 31, 2005. As Brian wrote in his first post it aims to provide a narrative of the broadcast day and a window into the editorial process at NBC Nightly News. Brian weighs in every weekday and NBC News correspondents and producers post regularly.
Brian Williams became the seventh anchor and managing editor in the history of NBC Nightly News on December 2, 2004. Read his full biography.
 |
|
 |
|
 |
advertisement
About the broadcast | Biographies
RSS is an easy way to get the news you want as it is updated even if you are not on MSNBC.com. More information about MSNBC.com's RSS feeds.
Podcasting brings you audio and video from each weekday broadcast on your iPod or other portable MP3 player anytime, anywhere. More information about MSNBC.com's podcasts.
Sign-up for our daily e-mail newsletter. It offers a preview of the stories and special reports featured on each weekday broadcast.
Photo by Marisa Buchanan, NBC News
When I first heard this story, I thought it had to be an urban legend, but yesterday in Pass Christian, Miss., when police chief John Dubuisson showed me the bullet holes I knew it was true. On the day Katrina hit the chief and several officers went off to rescue some folks trapped by rising water. They got everyone out only to be cut off themselves by the storm surge.
The group sought shelter in the town's library. It's up on higher ground and in the shadow of city hall. As the streets outside raged like mountain rapids, they felt safe in the recently renovated structure. But that's when the flaw to their plan started to seep in.
Chief Dubuisson says once the water outside got to about the four foot mark their police cars started floating around. If one of them should hit the front doors, they'd no doubt cave in, bringing a huge torrent of water with them. Everyone inside the single story building would drown. Sure enough, minutes later another cop car with its flashing lights still on smashed into the doors. The water burst in as people scrambled onto shelves, desks and counter tops to escape it.
Photo: Marisa Buchanan, NBC News
They knew they had no way to punch a hole in the roof. So they decided to shoot out the library's back windows. At least two officers pointed their weapons and let loose a hail of 45-caliber slugs. They blasted into the glass and tore through the back door frame. When the building was renovated, the glass in it was upgraded to a type that could withstand A category 3 hurricane. A great idea then, but the cops were cursing it now. When the shooting stopped, the glass was all shattered, but none of the bullets had gone through!
The water was still rising... Chief Dubuisson dove in and swam to the rear doors that had to be opened. And as soon as he touched the push bar they did. The water surged out, taking him with it. Those who saw it thought the chief was a goner, drowned or crushed by debris. But apparently the chief had been to that library a time or two before. You see, he knew just beyond the back doors was a railing. And that's what he grabbed as the storm surge carried him off.
Eventually, all inside the library made it outside and rode out the rest of the storm on the roof. But few will ever forget the day in Pass Christian when the police shot up the library and the chief nearly got away.
Editor's note: The Pass Christian Police Department shared video with NBC News, shot by its officers as they rode out Katrina's rising waters inside the library. Click here to watch the video, which is about 3:30 long.
Read more from After the Storm: The Long Road Back, Martin Savidge
When the story hits close to home
EMAIL THIS
TRACKBACKS
Trackbacks are links to weblogs that reference this post. Like comments, trackbacks do not appear until approved by us. The trackback URL for this post is: http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d83451b0aa69e200d8349d8f0a69e2
I too, have been in that Library. It really hurts to read the story and see the pictures. We visited Long Beach/Pass Christian the week before Katrina. Our Daughter-in-law, step-grandson and granddaughter lived in an apartment complex along US 90. Do I need to say those three words? The restaruant where my Daughter-in-law worked is also gone. They evacuated to Pensacola but are back in Gulfport in Navy housing. All this happened while my son is out of the country serving in the Navy SeaBees. Every person in that unit is affected by this disaster.
G.R. Texas (Sent Nov 4, 2005 12:41:07 AM)
Ohma gawwwwwwd!!!!!
Talk about truth (or reality) being stranger than fiction... This real event is just as thrilling (and as scary) as any contrived and paced fiction tale. We all love a good survivor story, but this one tops 'em.
Reminds me of an old black and white movie yarn starring Gary Cooper or Gregory Peck! I hope someone in Tinseltown with an 'eye' (and a dollar in their pocket) has seen THIS story. Just maybe, let's hope, that there is a 'somebody' out there actually looking for great material and seeing the merit of an investment opportunity. 'Shootout in Pass Christian' sounds like a GREAT movie title! Thank you again, Mr. Savidge, for a truly intriguing, good and true report.
D. Wolf, Minnesota (Sent Nov 3, 2005 11:59:37 PM)
I was in Pass Christian helping family 3 weeks after Katrina. We went past the library and like everything else in Pass Christian, your mind finds it very hard to comprehend the force of mother nature. As well as the destruction for as far as the eyes can see. It is almost beyond description.
Gary Mays, Rocky River, Ohio (Sent Nov 3, 2005 11:57:05 PM)
This is a great story. Too bad it did not make it on TV. You need to make this into a special 1 hr. show like someone else suggested.
D. Price (Sent Nov 3, 2005 11:11:22 PM)
The hospital in Dayton, Washington is holding a dinner tomorrow night at the Sr. Citizen's Hall to raises funds for the town of Pass Christian. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people in Pass Christian. So is our support!
C. Jones (Sent Nov 3, 2005 9:30:59 PM)
Awesome story!!!
Morrison Vogt, Orlando, Florida (Sent Nov 3, 2005 8:00:44 PM)
SEND A COMMENT
PLEASE READ: All comments must be approved before appearing in the thread; time and space constraints prevent all comments from appearing. We will only approve comments that are directly related to this post, use appropriate language and are not attacking the comments of others.