A security guard remains hospitalized for gunshot wounds after the robbery of a KPIX news team.
Local reporter Joe Vazquez and his cameraman were unharmed in the Sunday shooting in Oakland, but their security guard was shot while the crew was reporting developments in the ongoing teachers strike.
Journalists generally don’t like to get involved in the stories they’re covering, but a KPIX TV crew became part of a story Sunday in one of the worst ways possible. Late Sunday afternoon while covering developments in the ongoing Oakland teachers strike, reporter Joe Vazquez and his crew were robbed at gunpoint, and their security guard was shot and has been hospitalized. KPIX reported last night that “several” individuals has been detained by the Oakland Police Department in connection with the theft and shooting.
Some troubling news: KPIX reporter @joenewsman and crew were out covering the #OaklandTeachersStrike when they were robbed of camera and tripod. Their security guard was shot in the leg and has been taken to the hospital. We will keep you updated. 🙏
— KPIX 5 (@KPIXtv) February 25, 2019
Vazquez and his cameraman John Anglin were not harmed, but their security guard was not so fortunate. Matt Meredith, a retired Berkeley police officer, was shot once in the leg. KPIX assignment editor Maya Castro says that Meredith is in stable condition.
Thank you, friends, for your well wishes. Our guard was shot today in Oakland while we were on assignment covering the Oakland teachers strike. We believe his wounds are not life threatening, thank God. Photographer John Anglin was robbed at gunpoint. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/TP225CUJNQ
— Joe Vazquez (@joenewsman) February 25, 2019
As Anglin recalls in the Twitter video below, “[A suspect] came out of the car with gun in hand, basically saying ‘Give up the camera, I want the camera.’ I just walked away and said take it, it’s yours. Next thing you know, I hear gunshots.”
John abandoned the camera, took cover inside the news van where I was and told me to get down. We heard a flurry of loud gunshots. Very close! More shots, I saw a guy drag the camera away and saw our guard Matt was hit. Quickly called 9-1-1. pic.twitter.com/spinXPTiAC
— Joe Vazquez (@joenewsman) February 25, 2019
Meredith returned fire and the suspect was also shot in the exchange. That suspect, identified only as a 21-year-old man, was arrested while seeking medical care for his wounds. Just before 7 p.m., Oakland police pursued another suspect in the case as seen in the security footage below. That chase ended at Fairfax and Vicksburg Avenue, and the driver was taken into police custody. The camera has since been recovered.
Whoops—forgot to add the video. Here it is. pic.twitter.com/5mlLqAju9x
— Math Prof K (@mathprofk) February 25, 2019
As the Chronicle notes in their coverage of the incident, TV journalists are now commonly accompanied by armed security guards in the wake of a number of violent incidents. SFist covered the story of KPIX cameraman Greg Welk, who was punched out and robbed of his camera in 2012; and in 2015, a KTVU cameraman was pistol whipped and robbed at Pier 14.
We believe Matt is going to be okay. His wounds do not appear to be life threatening. He is a retired @berkeleypolice officer. He got some shots off at the robber. We are trying to confirm if a “walk-in” gunshot wound patient at a local hospital may have been the perpetrator.
— Joe Vazquez (@joenewsman) February 25, 2019
Related: Oakland Schools and Parents Brace for Likely Teachers Strike Thursday [SFist]
