A KTVU reporter and her two camera crew were injured after a would-be robbery went awry on Tuesday. While running to get help, the TV news crew had to outrun a man with a shotgun who shot a security guard multiple times and hid in the bushes for a bit.
KTVU reporter Shaun Chaiyabhat and her cameraman ran to a nearby bank when they were suddenly confronted by a masked man with a shotgun demanding money. Chaiyabhat, thinking she was in danger, ran to a nearby bank where she asked for help with a quick call for assistance, the video shows.
“They keep telling me to stop shooting because they are putting out more, more money so I have to keep shooting,” Chaiyabhat said in the video.
When the gunmen did not show up, Chaiyabhat ran to the front of the bank where she cornered the gunman, holding him at gunpoint. At that point, the suspect fired at her, but luckily did not hit her as she and her camera crew took off in order to take care of the situation.
After shots were fired and the suspect escaped, both Chaiyabhat and her cameraman were hit in the neck, but they survived.
A KTVU camera crew and an employee at a nearby Valley Federal Credit Union were injured in Tuesday morning’s attempted robbery on Bartlett Avenue and Forest Avenue in San Francisco. While the camera crew chased a suspect and one employee ran back inside, the suspect took off in the credit union. The suspect fired one shot at an employee but missed and ran away. He was later caught. pic.twitter.com/BCBEhVf2AA — CBS News (@CBSNews) July 3, 2018
“We commend the courageous actions of our reporter and the two camera operators,” said Diane Colodny, KTVU President and General Manager, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. “Obviously, the stress, confusion and danger was intense. We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to the staff at the affected business who provided assistance in escaping the gunfire and called 911.”
After the quick run from the scene, Chaiyabhat was rushed to the hospital with three gunshot wounds and both cameras were not working.
In a statement, the KTVU parent company, Nexstar Media Group, said, “Nexstar Media Group extends its deepest condolences to the family and colleagues of this brave KTVU employee who is being held in the hospital tonight with multiple gunshot wounds.”
The 49-year-old suspect is considered to be the only suspect in the robbery, the Chronicle reported. According to police, no arrests have been made at this time.