A television reporter in Memphis, Tennessee, was reportedly carjacked at gunpoint on Tuesday, with the assailant making off with both a vehicle and camera owned by the broadcasting company.
Video obtained from the gas station where the robbery happened by WREG News Channel 3 depicts a black man with a head scarf draped around his neck approach the reporter, identified by the outlet as Mike Suriani, from behind the vehicle as it was parked in a stall at a gas station.
According to WREG, the criminal held a gun in his waistband as he approached Suriani, who gave the man the keys to the vehicle and backed away.
The criminal then drove away in the vehicle, which in addition to the television camera, WREG noted still contained Suriani’s personal belongings.
It reported that the unknown suspect was still at large, and that neither the camera nor the vehicle had been recovered, with the Memphis Police Department describing, “a male with a dark complexion, possibly 6 feet tall, wearing a black head scarf, white jacket, gray shirt and black pants.” WREG also noted that police asked the public to submit tips regarding the perpetrator.
The crime against the media member occurred less than one month after FBI Director Kash Patel revealed that Memphis is now the country’s “homicide capital,” and announced that additional FBI resources would be supplied to the city during an interview on Fox News.
“I didn’t know this until my confirmation process, but Memphis, Tennessee, is the homicide capital of America, per capita,” said Patel. “We have a problem there. We’re now addressing it. We’re rolling out one of our task forces to Tennessee.”
It also occurred shortly after Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and District Attorney Steve Mulroy requested $5.5 million from the Shelby County Commission to build a new crime lab that would serve Memphis and the county.
The crime lab would specialize in testing ballistics, digital devices like cell phones, and a new form of rapid DNA test that Mulroy said can provide same-day results.
Watch the WREG news report containing video of the theft:
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Car Robbery” by WREG.
