Pierre Zakrzewski, a cameraman for Fox News, was killed on Monday while reporting on the war in Ukraine.
Fox News reports Zakrzewski was alongside Fox News reporter Benjamin Hall when incoming fire hit their vehicle outside of Kyiv in Horenka. Hall was injured and hospitalized, but there have been no updates on his condition.
Zakrzewski was 55. He had been in Ukraine since February.
Following the news of Zakrzewski’s death, there were reports that Oleksandra Kuvshynova, a Ukrainian reporter who was working with the Fox News team, also was killed in the attack that killed Zakrzewski and injured Hall.
In a statement, Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott said Zakrzewski’s “passion and talent as a journalist were unmatched. … His talents were vast and there wasn’t a role that he didn’t jump in to help with in the field — from photographer to engineer to editor to producer — and he did it all under immense pressure with tremendous skill.”
Scott added, “Today is a heartbreaking day for Fox News Media and for all journalists risking their lives to deliver the news.”
Scott said that Zakrzewski played a key role last year in helping freelance associates and their families get out of Afghanistan after the U.S. withdrawal there. Last December, at Fox News Media’s annual employee Spotlight Awards, Zakrzewski was honored with the “Unsung Hero” award.
Fox News president Jay Wallace said Zakrzewski was a constant in Fox News’ international coverage and that other staff “always felt an extra sense of reassurance when they arrived on the scene, and they saw that Pierre was there.”
On the air, Fox News anchor Bill Hemmer said, “Pierre Zakrzewski was an absolute legend at this network and his loss is devastating. … He was a professional, he was a journalist, and he was a friend. We here at the Fox News Channel want to offer our deepest condolences to Pierre’s wife, Michelle, and his entire family. Pierre Zakrzewski was only 55 years old, and we miss him already.”
Fox News anchor John Roberts tweeted, “I worked with Pierre many times around the world. He was an absolute treasure. Sending our most heartfelt prayers to Pierre’s wife and family.”
Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin tweeted, “Such a fine man. Such a good friend. Such a fantastic war photographer and so much more. RIP Pierre Zakrzewski.”
Trey Yingst, a Fox News reporter who has been in Ukraine covering the war, tweeted a photo of him with Zakrzewski and wrote, “I don’t know what to say. Pierre was as good as they come. Selfless. Brave. Passionate. I’m so sorry this happened to you.”
And CNN’s Clarissa Ward, who also has been covering the war, tweeted, “There are no words. I had the great privilege of working with Pierre and the even greater privilege of calling him a friend. An extraordinary spirit and tremendous talent and one of the kindest, most gracious colleagues on the road. Absolutely heartbreaking.”
Zakrzewski is believed to be the third journalist killed in Ukraine since the war began. On Sunday, American documentary filmmaker, Brent Renaud, was shot and killed while reporting outside Kyiv. The Committee to Protect Journalists previously wrote that Russian military forces bombed a TV tower in Kyiv on March 1, five were killed, including camera operator Yevhenii Sakun.”
Tom Jones is Poynter’s senior media writer. For the latest media news and analysis, delivered free to your inbox each and every weekday morning, sign up for his Poynter Report newsletter.
