News crew robbed at gunpoint while covering Chicago robberies

CHICAGO: A Chicago television news crew covering a series of robberies became victims of a robbery themselves when three armed individuals wearing ski masks robbed them at gunpoint.

A Spanish-language station Univision Chicago reported that a reporter and a photographer were conducting a shoot shortly before 5 am on Monday in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood. The three masked men, armed with firearms, robbed the crew and took their television cameras and personal belongings.

Univision Chicago’s Vice President of News Luis Godinez confirmed the incident and explained that the news crew had been working on a story about robberies in the West Town community. The captured footage was stored in the stolen camera, preventing the story from being aired.

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Meanwhile. the Chicago Police identified the victims as a 28-year-old man and a 42-year-old man. The three assailants arrived in a gray sedan and black SUV, robbing the crew before escaping in their vehicles.

Although no injuries were reported, and no arrests have been made, the incident reflects a concerning trend. Earlier this month, a WLS-TV photographer was assaulted and robbed while preparing to cover a news conference.

In response to these incidents, the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians Local 41, representing TV photographers in Chicago, has raised concerns about safety threats faced by those covering news stories. The union is working to address these concerns, including exploring additional security measures for TV crews.

Furthermore, the union’s president Raza Siddiqui said that plans for security assignments for TV crews and a safety meeting for union members to voice their concerns were among the measures being considered to enhance the security of news personnel.