BankRobberyNewsStory

Aclosecousinoftheinvertedpyramidisthe
"MartiniGlass"format.Itworkslikethis:Youbegin
withaninvertedpyramidsummaryofthestory's
mostimportantfacts.Thisisusuallyjustafew
shortparagraphs.Oncethat'sdone,youshiftintoa
chronologicalorderofwhathappened.Thendetail
whathappenedstepbystep.Ifpossible,endwitha
kicker(asurprisetwistorstrongclosingquote).
Thisapproachworkswellforcrimestories.

5Whys&H
Who

Chicagoman,DavidJefferson

What

attemptedrobberyandassaultonofficer

Where

UnionCreditOne1416PalmGroveDr.

When

November8th

How

attemptingtoenterCreditUnionwithshotgun

Why

torobabank

AreatotakeNotes

FinalStory(copyandpasteeachoftheparagraphsbelowintotheboxbelow.Makesureyouskipa
linebetweenparagraphs.Donotindenteachparagraph.
AsanarmedChicagomanattemptedtoenteraCreditUnion,aChucktownofficerstoppedthe
offenderfromenteringthebuildingbyshootinghimtwiceafteranattempttoassaulthimwitha
shotgun.

TheattemptedrobberytookplaceattheUnionCreditOneonPalmGroveDrive.Whenthe
suspect,DavidJefferson,aChicagoman,revealedasawedoffshotgunfromtheboxhewas
holding,OfficerElliotMessfiredathimthreetimes,hittinghimtwice,onceintheleftshoulderand
onceintherightthigh.

Accordingtothepolicereport,JeffersonpulledagunoutonOfficerMesswhenhewasapproached
whilewalkingintothebank.

Therewasonlyonewitness,JeffNaggler,foundacrossthestreetwhosawthewholeincident
unfold.

Theguywiththelongboxofflowersdropsthem,andhepullsoutashotgunrightthereinthe
parkinglotandhepointsitattheguyrunninguptowardshim,Nagglersaid

Attemptingtochamberashellandpointinghisgunattheofficer,Jeffersonwasunsuccessfulwhen
OfficerMessshothimonceintheleftshoulderandonceintherightthigh.

Accordingtothepolicereport,MesscontactedTamoonPoliceDepartmentrightafterhandcuffing
JeffersonandChucktownofficersandEMTsweresentstraighttothescene.Minuteslater,the
officersandEMTsarrivedtothescenetotreatJeffersonandtransportedhimtoMercyHospital.

Jeffersonisbeingchargedwithunlawfuluseofafirearm,assaultwithadeadlyweapon,assaulton
apoliceofficer,attemptedmurder,operatingavehiclewithexpiredlicensetags,andpossessionof
Cannabiswhen3.02ozwasfoundonhim.

#1

Lead30words,activevoice
AsanarmedChicagomanattemptedtoenteraCreditUnion,aChucktownofficerstopped
theoffenderfromenteringthebuildingbyshootinghimtwiceafteranattempttoassault
himwithashotgun.

#2

Nutgraph(morespecificinformationparallelingthelead)
TheattemptedrobberytookplaceattheUnionCreditOneonPalmGroveDrive.Whenthe
suspect,DavidJefferson,aChicagoman,revealedasawedoffshotgunfromtheboxhe
washolding,OfficerElliotMessfiredathim,hittinghimonceintheleftshoulderandonce
intherightthigh.

Atthispointyouswitchfroman
INVERTEDPYRAMID
structuretoa
MARTINIGLASS
structure.
Youtellthestorychronologically(timerelatedthishappenedandthenthishappened,etc).You
stillusetheQuote/Transitionformat,butyouusequotesthathavetodowiththatparticularmoment
intheaction.

#3

Quote(direct)Onesentence1sentence:sourcesaid.2sentencessaidsource.
Accordingtothepolicereport,JeffersonpulledagunoutonOfficerMesswhenhewas
approachedwhilewalkingintothebank.


#4

Transitioneithertoaddinformation,explainorhelpwithstoryflow.
Therewasonlyonewitness,JeffNaggler,foundacrossthestreetwhosawthewhole
incidentunfold.

#5

Quote(direct)Onesentence1sentence:sourcesaid.2sentencessaidsource.
Theguywiththelongboxofflowersdropsthem,andhepullsoutashotgunrighttherein
theparkinglotandhepointsitattheguyrunninguptowardshim,Nagglersaid.

#6

Transitioneithertoaddinformation,explainorhelpwithstoryflow.
Attemptingtochamberashellandpointinghisgunattheofficer,Jeffersonwas
unsuccessfulwhenOfficerMessshothiminonceintheleftshoulderandonceintheright
thigh.

#7

Quote(direct)Onesentence1sentence:sourcesaid.2sentencessaidsource.
Accordingtothepolicereport,justminutesafterhandcuffingJefferson,Chucktownofficers
andEMTsarrivedtothesceneandtransportedJeffersontoMercyHospital.

#8

Transitioneithertoaddinformation,explainorhelpwithstoryflow.
Jeffersonisbeingchargedwithunlawfuluseofafirearm,assaultwithadeadlyweapon,
assaultonapoliceofficer,attemptedmurder,operatingavehiclewithexpiredlicensetags,
andpossessionofCannabiswhen3.02ozwasfoundonhim.

#9

Quote(direct)Onesentence1sentence:sourcesaid.2sentencessaidsource.

#10 Transitioneithertoaddinformation,explainorhelpwithstoryflow.

#11 Quote(direct)Onesentence1sentence:sourcesaid.2sentencessaidsource.

#12 Transitioneithertoaddinformation,explainorhelpwithstoryflow.

#13 Quote(direct)Onesentence1sentence:sourcesaid.2sentencessaidsource.

#14 Transitioneithertoaddinformation,explainorhelpwithstoryflow.

#15 Quote(direct)Onesentence1sentence:sourcesaid.2sentencessaidsource.

#16 Transitioneithertoaddinformation,explainorhelpwithstoryflow.