Man confronts NBC News reporter during live hurricane Ida coverage
Thomas McDonald
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An irate man confronted NBC News’s Shaquille Brewster on live television Monday while reporting on the aftermath of hurricane Ida in Mississippi.
“Like the consummate professional, he did not let someone intimidate him from doing his job,” MSNBC President Rashida Jones said.
Brewster was doing a live segment for MSNBC from Gulfport, Mississippi when a white pickup truck pulled up behind him and a man jumped out and began running towards him. A few moments later when the man is heard yelling things off-camera, Brewster acknowledges the man’s presence and shifts the camera angle away from him.
The man then gets in Brewster’s face and is heard yelling, “report accurately!”
“Hey, hey, hey,” concerned anchor Craig Melvin said. “We’re going to check in with Shaq Brewster just to make sure all is well. There’s a lot of crazy out there, a lot of crazy.”
“This is beyond unacceptable and disgusting. @shaqbrewster was trying to do his job on a beach in Gulfport, MS. Shaq is ok. This guy who nearly attacked him clearly is not,” Craig Melvin tweeted.
Brewster raised his arm to defend himself as the man charged into his face, yelling, “report accurately!” before the producer and the photographer were able to separate the men. The heckler left moments later.
Brewster responded to the incident on Twitter, saying, “Appreciate the concern guys. The team and I are all good!”
Following the incident, other journalists praised Brewster’s restraint and ability to maintain his composure during the incident.
“I agree @craigmelvin. People need to understand they can’t touch people. We don’t go to their office and bother them. Ugh. Glad you’re okay, @shaqbrewster!” Venton Blandin replied.
“Shout out to this reporter because I would’ve been fighting this man live on MSNBC,” author and journalist Jamal Jordan said.
NBC News correspondent Ali Vitali said the “poise and class we all saw from” Brewster is “just who he is — on and off camera.”
“So, so glad he’s OK,” she added.