A Bay Area news crew was out filming a story about a robbery in Oakland when a man attacked the crew and attempted to steal their equipment. The team’s security guard intervened but was shot multiple times and later died of his injuries.
The guard, Kevin Nishita, was a retired police officer at the Oakland Housing Authority, Hayward Police, San Jose Police, and the Colma Police but was retained by KRON4 as a security guard. Nishita continued to perform security duties out of a love for the job, KRON4 says.
According to the report, the KRON4 crew was covering a story about a recent robbery on the 300 block of 14th Street in Oakland where 12 thieves wearing masks and hoods raided a clothing store. During the on-site production that took place in broad daylight at 12:20 PM, a four-door, white Acura that is described as being a model from between 2004 and 2008 pulled up and a man exited the vehicle and attempted to steal the reporter’s camera equipment.
Nishita, who was armed, intervened and was shot multiple times in the abdomen by the assailant who then fled the scene. Police who were only about a mile away quickly arrived on the scene and took Nishita to a local hospital where KRON4 reporters say he appeared to be making a recovery, but he passed away over the weekend. The reporter was not injured, although a man nearby was hit by bullet shrapnel and was treated at the hospital and is in stable condition.
“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.
A reward of $32,500 is being offered for information that leads to an arrest, which has been collected from contributions from KRON4’s parent company Nextar Media, Star Protection Agency, and the Oakland Police Department.
Words cannot express my heartbreak. Kevin Nishita was a good man who took his job seriously. He kept me and my colleagues safe. He did not deserve this. He and his family will be forever in my prayers. https://t.co/2Eo9Qf4SVv
— Maureen Kelly (@KRON4MKelly) November 27, 2021
Kevin was genuine, humble and always did the job with a smile on his face.
He was our private security guard that kept our team and numerous other Bay Area reporters safe while our in the field.
Kevin will be missed. https://t.co/j3KyaTBWn4
— Camila Barco (@cbarcotv) November 27, 2021
I worked with Kevin often. He was a really good guy who took his job seriously. His loss is a heavy blow. https://t.co/b4gU2qUYGc
— Chuck Clifford (@chuckclifford) November 27, 2021
Violent attacks on news crews and photographers are unfortunately not new in the Bay Area. Camera equipment is often targeted due to its value and how easy it is to sell, and thieves regularly look for tourists and reporters. PetaPixel contributor Jefferson Graham was robbed in San Francisco while filming a spot in March while in the same month a San Francisco news crew was robbed while filming an interview about robberies. Photographers were robbed while stuck in traffic in February, a photographer was shot by robbers after refusing to give up her camera in September, and more recently in October a photographer was followed home and robbed of his gear at gunpoint after photographing the Golden Gate bridge.
