the door opens, and in slow motion goes like this, and i look, and there's -- donato with elian in his, in the closet. elian is crying like his, you know, he is so -- scared, i guess. so i just walk between the bed and the closet to the end, to the night table. i turn around. now i have elian on my right. the door in front of me. elian said to me in spanish -- [ speaking in foreign language ] i know it's -- they're coming. i know it. i just know it. that's all i can say. everything is going to be all right, baby. it's going to be all right. all of a sudden, that door just blew open. they came in. and i'm shooting this, of course. he's focused on elian. it's a flash going into his face, and he -- turned to me, said, back off. i mean really, "back off." i'm behind the camera, behind the camera i felt like i can't do anything. i say, my guy. my angel, they were there with me. >> reporter: alan diaz also says federal agents make the same mistake he did. they went to elian's room first. how does he know this? he says he could hear the sound of their boots, clarissa, on that floor, as they w