A security guard was shot and critically wounded during an attempted robbery late Thursday evening while San Francisco television crew news anchor Danielle Tcholakian was covering the story. After being kidnapped, the alleged attacker, 28-year-old Xquan Kimi, allegedly attempted to flee after shooting the guard while the TV crew was entering a bank. He was later arrested outside a nearby shopping mall, and faces robbery and assault charges.
The NBC Bay Area crew was leaving their offices at 6 p.m. Thursday when Tcholakian and investigative reporter Jaxon Van Derbeken were informed that a white SUV had just been stolen. When they tried to enter a nearby ATM in the investigation, the vehicle wouldn’t stop, and the news crew left the area to avoid getting into a confrontation. Van Derbeken shared footage of the bullet-riddled SUV leaving the scene moments after the robbery and attempted robbery.
“Security guard shot inside bank while @JaxonVanDerbeken was interviewing a woman who said she’d just been robbed,” tweeted NBC Bay Area.
Security guard shot inside bank while @JaxonVanDerbeken was interviewing a woman who said she’d just been robbed: https://t.co/KDVMYzZpxJ#NBCBayArea #GNSF https://t.co/5gfAIzzByM — NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) November 9, 2018
Tcholakian received Facebook and email threats, including one that said, “You are a whore & go to hell for getting killed. I hope you die too. You’re a drug addict and deserve everything you get.” She subsequently wrote on Twitter that a shooting of the guard “took place on our beat,” and would remain “serious” the next time reporters were “misunderstood.”
Security guard shot inside bank while @JaxonVanDerbeken was interviewing a woman who said she’d just been robbed: https://t.co/KDVMYzZpxJ#NBCBayArea #GNSF https://t.co/5gfAIzzByM — NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) November 9, 2018
Thank you @NoelleDillon for bringing up my assignment because this took place on our beat. #GNSF https://t.co/GZLjRxqo8a — Danielle Tcholakian (@danielle_ch) November 9, 2018
The alarm about the attempted robbery had been sound asleep because of the harrowing experience. “It took place on our beat. … It was just terrifying. We walked away from the bank and there’s blood running down my leg. You could just hear it like a screeching car. You could just hear it. My head was flying in the air,” Tcholakian told Van Derbeken.
The TV crew returned to the scene a short time later to report on the continued investigation. They were visibly shaken as the scene of the shooting remained inside a bloodstained bank lobby. One suspect appeared to fight with police officers before he was eventually pinned to the ground. He was then taken to the hospital for treatment.
Read the full story at The Washington Post.
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