It was a bizarre scene as CeFaan Kim, 26, a reporter working for WABC-TV, was wrapping up a live report at around 11 p.m. on Friday on an attempted rape. He was standing in Delancey Street on the Lower East Side in New York City. As he was speaking, a total stranger wearing a hockey mask suddenly came up and put an arm around his neck. As Kim completed his broadcast, the man reportedly told them to put the camera on him, saying, “What’s up!”
Masked man's attack was right out of a horror movie
The Huffington Post compared the mask to that worn in the “Jason” horror films.
Kim reacted with shock and he and the man struggled, then the masked stranger pushed him and shoved him, knocking the reporter to the ground, and then started yelling at him. Kim immediately stood up and confronted the man, who by then had removed his mask, but then got separated from the stranger by a fellow employee and a witness.
When Kim accused the man of assaulting him, he then repeated the words, “What’s up,” saying Kim attacked him. The assailant then ran off and has not yet been identified, according to police.
WABC-TV reporter was not injured
According to the New York Daily News, Kim thanked people for their concern about his well-being in a Facebook post, saying the man snuck up on him and wouldn’t get off him.
He said he shoved the man, but then was pushed to the ground.
He was grateful to his crew and a stranger who kept him and the assailant separated and calmed him down, saying in the heat of the moment, when someone attacks you like that, it is hard not to get angry. He said he was startled, but would not back down, and luckily only suffered a scrape and a bruise on the knee.
In an effort to identify his assailant, Kim posted the video footage of the attack on Twitter Saturday morning, with a note saying this was the man who attacked him during the live broadcast and if anyone recognized him they could please give the seventh precinct a call.
According to the Huffington Post, the NYPD told them they are still investigating the incident and the department’s Assistant Commissioner for Communication and Public Information, J.
Peter Donald, retweeted the video to ask the public to call if they can identify the suspect.
👇🏼Please call us if you see this guy. @NYPD7Pct @NYPDnews @CeFaanKim https://t.co/CeWndTvyQ8
— J. Peter Donald (@JPeterDonald) March 4, 2017