Veteran Fox Newscameraman Pierre Zakrzewski was killed Monday in Ukraine, the network confirmed in a statement on Tuesday. The network also said that Benjamin Hall, one of the top war correspondents, was also wounded on Monday and has been admitted to a hospital where he is in serious condition fighting for his life.
According to Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott, Zakrzewski, 55, was accompanying Fox correspondent Benjamin Hall when their vehicle was shot at in Horenka, a northwest suburb of Kyiv. This comes just days after Brent Renaud, a journalist a former New York Times, contributor was killed by Russian forces in Kyiv.
Another Journalist Slain
Zakrzewski, a longtime Fox News photojournalist, is the second US journalist to have been killed while reporting in Ukraine, while his colleague Hall, 39, continues to fight for his life in a hospital in Kyiv.
"It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we share the news this morning regarding our beloved cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski," Scott wrote to employees on Tuesday morning. "Pierre was killed in Horenka, outside of Kyiv, Ukraine."
"Today is a heartbreaking day for Fox News Media and for all journalists risking their lives to deliver the news," Scott wrote.
Zakrzewski had been working in Ukraine since February and was based in London. "Pierre Zakrzewski was an absolute legend at this network and his loss is devastating," anchor Bill Hemmer said on air on Tuesday.
"His passion and talent as a journalist were unmatched," Scott said. The network, however, didn't elaborate much on how Zakrzewski exactly dies. They also didn't give much detail on the condition of Hall. According to reports, Hall, a married father of three from London who has worked for the US television network since 2015, was in intensive care.
Killed on Duty
Zakrzewski is the second journalist to be assassinated in Ukraine in the span of just two days. Renaud, a documentary filmmaker and another veteran of covering war zones, died on Sunday after Russian forces opened fire on his car.
Renaud was the first U.S. journalist to be killed in Ukraine. Yevhenii Sakun, a photojournalist for EFE, the Spanish news service, was killed when the Russian army destroyed the Kyiv television tower on March 1.
As a war photographer, Zakrzewski had covered conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria for Fox, according to a memo sent to Fox employees by Scott.
His skills were diverse, and there was no role in the field that he didn't step into to assist with — from photographer to engineer to editor to producer — and he did it all under duress and with great skill, the memo from Fox News said.
Last December, Zakrzewski received the 'Unsung Hero' award at Fox's annual employee Spotlight Awards, "in recognition of his invaluable work," she said.
Tributes started pouring in the moment it was announced that Zakrzewski succumbed to his injuries.
"I don't know what to say," Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst wrote. "Pierre was as good as they come. Selfless. Brave. Passionate. I'm so sorry this happened to you."
Fox News weather reporter Max Gorden said: "Gutting news. My thoughts are with Pierre Zakrzewski's family. By all accounts Pierre was an incredible photographer and great human. Wishing safety for all the crews risking their lives in Ukraine."
