A security guard working with a Bay Area news crew was shot during an attempted armed robbery in Oakland, police said.
The shooting took place before 12:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 300 block of 14th Street, police said. The security guard was transported to a hospital where he is recovering.
News station KRON4 confirmed in a report the security guard was working for one of its crews on assignment in the area.
“Somebody rolled up, robbery gone bad, said 'get down' he just started shooting at everybody,” said a witness. “He got shot for no reason, the dude didn’t even take the camera. Senseless attempt on multiple people’s lives.”
Police have offered a $17,500 reward for information that can help them catch the person responsible.
“We are asking if you were in the area, have a business or live nearby, please check your surveillance footage,” said Kim Armstead of the Oakland Police Department.
This isn’t the first time a security guard protecting a TV crew has been shot or shot at in Oakland.
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That’s part of the reason crews sometimes travel with guards now.
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“For decades you would never think reporters would ever be attacked because they have a camera," said Oakland City Councilmember Dan Kalb.
In fact, one of NBC Bay Area’s news crews was held up at gunpoint in front of Oakland's City Hall back in June.
Oakland’s City Council is holding an emergency meeting about public safety. The police chief will tell the city what the department needs to try and stop this unusual crime wave.
At the top of the list -- Oakland needs more officers and that can’t happen overnight.
“We’re not going to be able to stop all violence crime if we can reduce it substantially in the weeks and months ahead. That would be a victory,” said Kalb.
