SAN FRANCISCO, CA – KPIX television news reporter Don Ford was about to interview homeowners after a series of car burglaries in San Francisco were reported. Ford prepared to interview locals when a white sedan pulled up and four of the occupants got out and robbed him at gunpoint.
“The car came up here while we were about to do an interview, three guys jumped out,” he said in an interview later on the station. “One had a gun and put in my face and said, ‘We’re taking the camera’. My whole thought at the moment was be calm. Let’s not get this guy excited. He’s got the gun. I don’t. So you take you the camera. It’s yours Buddy.”
San Francisco City Supervisor Rafael Mandelman said he is hoping the criminals are brought to justice.
“Earlier this afternoon a reporter was robbed at gunpoint at Twin Peaks Blvd & Burnett Ave while interviewing a resident about car break-ins in the area,” he said on Twitter. “SFPD officers are working to find those responsible and recover the camera. This incident is ridiculous & unacceptable, but not entirely unexpected in San Francisco in 2021. We need to adequately resource public safety agencies, adopt better strategies to stop repeat offenders & make clear that San Francisco is not a place that you can commit crimes & put people’s lives at risk with impunity.”
Flashback 2016: A reporter in San Francisco narrowly missed during car crash.
Dramatic video shows San Francisco reporter being nearly hit by a car while live on air: https://t.co/cthZ6l3cYvhttps://t.co/0JK6NT8XI7
— ABC News (@ABC) March 8, 2016