Mississippi authorities are seeking arrest of a suspect accused of harassing an NBC reporter and camera crew.- On Monday, a man ran out of a white pick-up truck to accost NBC's Shaquille Brewster and his crew live on air.
- Gulfport Police will charge Benjamin Dagely with assault, disrupting the peace, and violating a curfew.
Authorities in Gulfport, Mississippi are seeking the arrest of the man suspected of accosting and harassing an NBC News correspondent and camera crew reporting on
Gulfport Police announced in a Tuesday statement that the public had helped them identify Ohio man Benjamin Eugene Dagely as the likely assailant and the Ford F-150 truck he's traveling in. Authorities issued arrest warrants for Dagely on charges of simple assault, disrupting the peace, and violating the emergency curfew in place due to the storm.
-Gulfport Police Dept (@GulfportPolice) August 31, 2021
Dagely, who has faced previous run-ins with the law in Ohio, may also face charges for violating his probation by traveling to another state. Police said that he is believed to have left the Gulfport area, but his current whereabouts are unknown.
On Monday, the man believed to be Dagely could be seen pulling up in a white pick-up truck in the background as
The man was then heard shouting at Brewster and his crew to "report accurately" on the storm.
While Brewster initially tried to deescalate the situation by turning in the other direction and continuing his report, the man proceeded to harass and yell at Brewster's camera crew.
"Craig, I'm going to toss it back to you," Brewster told MSNBC host Craig Melvin before the man could be seen getting close to Brewster himself and shoving him.
Both Melvin, a few minutes later on air, and Brewster himself on his Twitter feed confirmed that he and his crew were safe and alright.
"Shaq Brewster is an exceptional journalist," Rashida Jones, MSNBC's president, said in a Monday statement. "Like the consummate professional he is, he did not let someone intimidate him from doing his job. We're glad he and the team are safe, and we couldn't be more proud and supportive of their work."