Death Of Reporter Killed By U.S. Fire Broadcast On TV
Man, of all the ways I could choose to shed this mortal coil, being taken out by a US helicopter gunship on live TV would definitely NOT be among them. Ouch….
Something tells me this is not going to do anything to help the US PR offensive in Iraq. Just a hunch.
Mazen al-Tumeizi, who was working for Al-Arabiya television, was taping a report when an explosion behind him caused him to double-over and scream “I’m dying, I’m dying.” He died moments later, Al-Arabiya said after airing the video.
An Iraqi working as a camera operator for Reuters Television was wounded and reported in stable condition, the agency said here. His name was withheld for security reasons.
Getty Images said one of its freelance photographers, Ghaith Abdul Ahad, an Iraqi citizen, was also slightly wounded in the head while covering the clashes and the helicopter attack in Haifa street.
The helicopter incident occurred shortly after 6:30 a.m. when a U.S. Army Bradley fighting vehicle was en route to help a patrol in distress during clashes on Haifa Street in the center of Baghdad, military spokesman Lt. Col. Steven A. Boylan said.
The vehicle was disabled by a car bomb and the four-member crew was evacuated, Boylan said. A U.S. Army helicopter opened fire to prevent looters from stripping the vehicle, Boylan said.
Sometimes, my job doesn’t seem all that bad. Yes, it can be stressful, but I generally don’t have to worry about anyone shooting at me- at least on the good day. Coming under fire on live television? Now THAT’S stress….
