I think they were witnesses to the fact she was injured.
By that standard, so were the cops who interviewed her. Do you think the paper would call them witnesses?
Given that the paper said there were witnesses, having lived with a Los Gatos address for 27 years, given what I've heard from the residents over those years, what I've read of what they think of having a gun store in their midst, the way they regulate each other's property, and how they vote, YES, I think that even if they had the chance to simply take a picture most would just stand there like stupid sheep or hide.
One doesn't have to catch the guy to make that possible. Just running after him yelling might get someone better positioned to take the photograph. Given the victim's description of the perp, with a range of 5'9"-6'0," even if they caught him the victim's testimony is unlikely to get a conviction. A photo on the other hand would land him in jail.
I have very little faith in journalists.
I'll have to go back and watch the TV thing. With the dance studio they are mostly women. I wonder where he ran off too. That's mostly surrounded by residential neighborhoods. If he didn't have a house or a car, it could be a place where he could get caught. I wonder if the police searched the neighborhood.
It’s a dance studio, so it was probably mostly women too. Not inclined to go after him.