Physical Attack

Category Summary

Total cases	108
Journalists attacked in 2018	43
Journalists attacked in 2017	46

North Carolina state senator damages reporter’s phone in physical altercation

September 19, 2019

Investigative reporter for NC Policy Watch, Joe Killian, said North Carolina State Sen. Paul Lowe assaulted him and threw his …

Man robs and briefly kidnaps NBC affiliate reporter at gunpoint

September 4, 2019

A reporter for NBC Right Now in Kennewick, Washington, was robbed and briefly kidnapped at gunpoint while covering a local teachers strike on Aug. 27, 2019.An undisclosed reporter had set up her video camera in the parking lot of the Kennewick School District ahead of a planned teachers strike, YakTriNews reported. At around 5:45 a.m., as she was sitting in her news vehicle waiting for the rally to begin, a man got into the backseat of her car, pointed a …

Private security guard assaults journalist, confiscates camera during summit

August 13, 2019

Charlie Kratovil, founder and editor of New Brunswick Today, filed a police report alleging assault by a private security guard …

Colorado reporter and chief photojournalist assaulted, equipment attacked

August 8, 2019

A KRDO News Channel 13 news team was assaulted and a broadcasting camera attacked while attempting to conduct an interview …

Documentary filmmaker shot with ‘crowd control ammunition’ while filming protests in Puerto Rico

July 31, 2019

Documentary filmmaker Ricardo Olivero Lora was shot with a round of "crowd control ammunition" while filming police officers dispersing protesters …

Photojournalist struck in the head by rubber bullet while covering Puerto Rico protests

July 26, 2019

Joe Raedle, a photojournalist for Getty Images, was hit by a rubber bullet while covering protests in San Juan, Puerto …

Broadcast reporter struck by a rubber bullet, rock while covering Puerto Rico protests

July 26, 2019

NotiCentro WAPA-TV broadcast reporter Orlando Rivera Martinez was injured while covering protests in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on July 15, …

Toledo news crew shot at, no injuries but damage to news vehicle

July 17, 2019

While returning from a news event, a WTVG 13abc news crew van was shot at on July 13, 2019 in Toledo, Ohio.13abc reported that the crew was heading back to the station at around 8:30 p.m. following an event at the Toledo Museum of Art when multiple shots were fired at the station’s vehicle.Investigative reporter Shaun Hegarty posted a photo of the damage to the vehicle to Twitter following the incident.

More Incidents

How we track Physical Attacks

Journalists who face physical violence and injury, either as the result of a targeted attack by a public or private individual or in the course of their work. If a journalist is hit by rubber bullets or bean bag rounds, it will be counted in this category.

Damage to equipment is counted in a separate "Equipment Damage" category, but may be also listed in this Physical Attack category if the damage occurs with an attack.

Journalists affected by tear gas, pepper spray, or other mass riot control agents will be counted if the individual suffers serious injury or appears to have been specifically targeted. Incidents that fall outside these parameters and in which multiple journalists were affected by riot control agents may be counted in the “Other” category.

Physical Attack

Category Summary

How we track Physical Attacks

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