If you want your crime very well covered by the media, it’s pretty easy to get their attention—especially if you slam your truck right into their TV station. ABC 2 Action News reporters are tweeting about a suspect who may be carrying a weapon and is loose inside their TV station. They say the suspect slammed a landscaping truck into the building and then walked right in.
Suspect enters Baltimore TV station
According to Twitter reports, all workers at the Baltimore TV station have been evacuated. Reporters said everyone was “safe and accounted for.” They said police entered the building and that helicopters were hovering overhead. Police said they found weapons inside his truck but so far have been unable to locate the suspect. Reporter Brian Kuebler tweeted that the male suspect attempted to get into the building before he rammed his truck into it. He reportedly screamed, “Let me in” and claimed to be God. The TV station tweeted that its workers were “trying to stay positive” about the situation” and requested that readers keep their staffers and visitors in their thoughts.
Reporters tweet their story
WMAR meteorologist Mike Masco tweeted that they were being bussed to a hotel. He said they’re trying to figure out what to do because their keys are inside the building and their cars are locked. He posted a photo of the “big hole” where the TV station’s lobby used to be:
Big hole where the @abc2news lobby use to be pic.twitter.com/0THu1423i8 — Mike Masco (@MascoFromABC2) May 13, 2014
WMAR News Director Kelly Groft tweeted a closer-up picture as well:
Can’t really tell too much but that was our entrance. There is now a truck in the lobby. pic.twitter.com/py1FhqK4JY — KellyfromABC2 (@KellyfromABC2) May 13, 2014
These latest tweets from Groft are a far cry from the one posted before the ones about the truck slamming into the Baltimore TV station:
Talking #LymeDisease tonight at 6 on #ABC2InFocus — KellyfromABC2 (@KellyfromABC2) May 13, 2014
Multiple reporters at the station remarked on Twitter that they’re used to reporting the news—not being the news. Police lock down the area Police have shut down the roads around the TV station and requested that everyone using social media to report on the incident do so “with caution.” Officials reportedly told the Baltimore Sun that no shots have been fired. Police said they initially received a call about the incident at around 11:45 a.m. The call was about the man pounding on the door and attempting to gain entry to the building. Just minutes later, dispatchers received another call saying that a suspect had crashed a truck into the lobby of the TV station. Officials said no one was in the vehicle when they arrived. They evacuated the station and then began searching for the suspect. Police do not yet have a suspect in custody and say it’s unclear what the motive could have been.
More details coming in
WMAR reporter Allison Bourg told the Baltimore Sun that she initially heard someone pounding on the door. A security guard told her to keep away from the door, and then the news director yelled to everyone to evacuate through the back door of the building. She said she never heard any gun shots. Police have locked down St. Pius X school and parish, which are located close to the TV station. County public schools have been unaffected by the incident. TV station fights to get back on the air No matter which media outlet you work for, you’re trained to cover the news, no matter what, using any tools at hand—even Twitter. Kuebler also tweeted that station engineers are now working hard to get the station back on the air:
Our awesome engineers are fighting like hell 2 get us back on air from off site. Nutty stuff I don’t understand. Best #team2 in tha biz. — Brian Kuebler (@BrianfromABC2) May 13, 2014
