A Univision News team based in Chicago was robbed on Monday morning after reporting on the city’s recent spike in armed robberies.
At 5:00 a.m., a reporter and photographer were filming at the 1200 block of North Milwaukee in West Town.
At the location, it was reported that three men in ski masks came out of two vehicles with firearms. They approached the television crew and demanded all of their money. The suspects stole a camera, two film equipment backs, and the photographer’s backpack.
None of the crew were injured during the robbery.
This isn’t the first time a Chicago news team has been involved in acts of crime. A similar incident occurred on August 5, where a photographer for ABC7 was robbed and assaulted while under assignment covering a news conference.
Another similar incident occurred last May when a Fox 32 news crew was doing a live video about gun violence. A man walked behind reporter Joanie Lum, who appeared to hold a pistol at the camera and was still visible in view while walking down the street.
The National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians (NABET-CWA) is arranging a meeting for union members’ safety. News stations linked to the union have included additional safety measures, such as assigning security for news teams.
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For the past year, robberies have been a persistent problem in Chicago, with the Chicago Police Department (CPD) reporting that 12 mail carriers were threatened with firearms. In one of those instances, a USPS vehicle was stolen. Seven robberies were reported from Sunday to Monday during the weekend of the news crew incident, including two carjackings.
