It happened so suddenly. The figure of convicted loyalist killer Michael Stone was being bundled out through the revolving door of Stormont's Great Hall swearing at the civilian security staff who were surrounding him. They pinned him firmly to the ground, just in front of me.
He bellowed "No surrender" and what sounded like "No sell-out Paisley" while cursing his captors, telling them to "f*** off" and leave him alone.
Stopped in my stride by the melee, Stormont security staff approached, screaming "get away, get away". A few camera crews and photographers refused, staying to get the best shots.
Stone had tried to burst into Parliament Buildings carrying explosive devices, a gun and a knife.
He had used a red spray can to scrawl some graffiti at the base of one of the stone pillars at the entrance.
Within a short time, Stone was firmly restrained and on the flat of his back. A security officer held each of his limbs and a female officer appeared to be trying to talk to him.
Again the security officers shouted at me to clear the vicinity as others arrived on the scene.
More security officers in civilian clothes insisted I move towards the side of Parliament Buildings, in the direction of the private entrance normally used by Assembly members.
Already some of them and their officials were beginning to stream from the building out into the driving rain, ushered outside by insistent Assembly staff.
Confusion reigned, with those who had been following the goings-on in the chamber emerging clueless into the downpour. I could see Jeffrey Donaldson being placed in the back seat of what I took to be a civilian-style police car. It was then driven off hastily, its wheels spinning on the wet road. Seconds later I saw Peter Robinson in the rear of a similar car also being driven off at speed, lurching around the corners.