James Comey reportedly learned of his firing from TV news coverage while he was addressing employees

Gary Cameron/ReutersJames Comey.President Donald Trump's firing of FBI director James Comey came as a surprise to many; however, the abrupt dismissal on Tuesday afternoon may have also caught Comey off-guard as well.

According to a New York Times report, Comey had found out he was dismissed from television news coverage that splashed on screens at an FBI field office in Los Angeles while he was addressing FBI employees.

Comey was also scheduled to attend an FBI recruiting event in nearby Hollywood.

Shortly after the news broke, a letter was reported to have been delivered to FBI headquarters in Washington.

Although sources cited by the Los Angeles Times have said that Comey was still planning to attend the Hollywood event, another law enforcement source said that Comey was waiting on guidance from the FBI, according to the newspaper.

Comey was reportedly planning on making a speech about the FBI's work and to assist in helping potential recruits "receive personal career counseling from FBI special agents"

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