MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A pastor died Thursday after a shooting that happened right as two Local 10 News journalists were reporting live at The Village Flea Market & Mall in Miami-Dade County’s West Little River neighborhood.
Terrell Forney, a reporter, and Nick Lupo, a photojournalist, were doing a live report on the drive-by shooting that left 7-year-old Alana Washington dead when shots rang out.
“I’m waiting to wrap up the package before we go live again and all of a sudden I hear all of these shots,” Forney said. “I hear, 'Pop! Pop! Pop! ... and it feels like it never really stopped.”
Lupo saw the shooter, alerted Forney, and jumped inside the van to take cover behind a steel case meant to store equipment.
“He was wearing a white shirt and he started shooting and shooting and shooting,” Lupo said. “I was just trying to shield myself from getting hit with bullets.”
Forney said he ran to the side of the van and ducked down next to the passenger door. Both Lupo and Forney knew they had to go live on TV again, so when the bullets stopped they went right back to work. Forney managed to sign out of his story on air.
“Things were so crazy that we were literally about to leave behind the camera and the gear, I mean that stuff can be replaced — lives can’t be replaced,” Forney said.
Lupo and Forney rushed out of the area and waited from a distance. They returned to the scene to shoot video when they saw armed security guards and police officers arrive. Miami-Dade police officers said the man, who is a local pastor, was the victim in the shooting.
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