Beloit Woman Attacked by Famous Photographer

23 Sep, 2012

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Rockford (RKFD) – A Beloit woman says she was attacked by a famous photographer downtown while she was day-drinking at a sports bar. Cindy Vellentyn, 45, of  South Beloit, says she was saved by an unknown film student.

Vellentyn set out Friday morning for one of her usual day-drinking trips downtown when she noticed a photographer sitting at the end of the bar, his lens out, shooting every girl that moved. Vellentyn said, “I thought he was looking at me but then noticed he was getting angry. As I turned to leave, something jumped on my back and knocked me to my knees.”  The photographer attacked Vellentyn, biting and scratching her while yelling, “You ruined my shot!”, and,  “You got in the way, Lady!”

According to fellow day-drinkers, Vellentyn hit the photographer on the head with the purse she was carrying when she saw a helpful local film student grab the photographer by the neck.  The two “visual artists” struggled on the ground for a few seconds before the photographer got free and ran away, she added.

“I think the photographer was stalking the girl behind me with his lens. She was in a skirt and got I got in the way of his pantie shot,” Vellentyn said. “The film student was minding his own business while editing digital HD film on his J-Pad, and tweeting about it of course.” The film student hero “snapped” according to witnesses.  He calmly went back to cyber world after the ordeal and asked that he remain a silent hero.

Vellentyn returned home to her shocked husband, Phillip Vellentyn, who said he tried to convince her to go to the doctor, but has still had no luck. “I was pretty worried when I saw all of the blood on her clothes. She’s being very stubborn,” Mr. Vellentyn said. “I thought she should go in case of rabies, but Cindy isn’t worried.”

Cindy Vellentyn has returned to the site of the attack two times this week. The couple has never worried about encountering angry photographers in the bar before. “I have seen multiple tan dudes fighting here but it never involves photographers. Usually they hang in corners and take pictures of unsuspecting girls when they bend over,” says Mrs. Vellentyn.

Police aren’t looking for the photographer because they’re sick and tired of looking for crazy guys with cameras in the Rock River Valley.