OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) — A $25,000 reward is now available for information on the attempted armed robbery and shooting involving a NewsNation affiliate KRON security guard and two others.
The incident was an attempted armed robbery intended to steal camera equipment, police said.
The KRON news crew was covering a story on a recent smash-and-grab robbery at the Prime 356 clothing store in Oakland.
According to police, 12 thieves wearing masks and hoods raided the clothing store late Tuesday night.
During the report, shots were fired around 12:20 p.m. Wednesday.
The KRON security guard was shot in the lower abdomen and taken to a nearby hospital for surgery, according to police.
As of Wednesday evening, he was out of surgery and in stable condition. The guard is a former police officer.
Officers later found two more victims involved in the incident. One of those victims is a Berkeley man who was also transported to the hospital for treatment and is listed in stable condition.
KRON has not received information on the extent of the injuries.
The KRON reporter managed to still do her job, recording the scene after the incident as it unfolded before her eyes. She was not physically injured but is understandably shaken.
“As you know it’s been an extremely violent week. We are asking if you were in the area, have a business or live nearby to please check your surveillance footage as you may have captured the crime before, during, or after it occurred,” Oakland police said in a press conference.
Local television stations, including KRON, regularly use security guards when covering news stories.
In the past, a number of Bay Area news stations have been targeted for their camera equipment by a number of thieves.
“At KRON 4, the safety of our personnel is our top priority which is why we assign security to reporters when working in the field. Most importantly, our thoughts and prayers are with the security guard and his family and we wish him a complete recovery,” KRON’s Vice President and General Manager Jim Rose said in a statement.
Police and the security company associated with the guard are offering a reward of $17,500 total leading to the arrest of the individual or individuals involved in the incident.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact investigators at (510) 238-3426.
This is a developing story and will be updated with more information as it becomes available.