Pittsburgh Penguins president and CEO David Morehouse rescued Ian Smith, a cameraman for local station KDKA, after the journalist was attacked during police brutality protests in the city, the club confirmed to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Jason Mackey on Saturday night.
Morehouse departed PPG Paints Arena, found Smith, and helped him inside before the cameraman was taken to the hospital, according to Mackey.
Smith detailed his ordeal while sitting in the ambulance.
I’m was attacked by protestors downtown by the arena. They stomped and kicked me. I’m bruised and bloody but alive. My camera was destroyed. Another group of protesters pulled me out and saved my life. Thank you! @KDKA pic.twitter.com/clyANKodth
— Ian Smith (@ismithKDKA) May 30, 2020
After seeing Smith's tweet, KDKA anchor and reporter Larry Richert called him and inquired about the incident. Smith told him he didn't know who saved him, so Richert contacted Paul Martino, a reporter for the network who'd been with Smith reporting on the protests. Martino confirmed it was Morehouse who saved Smith, and the Penguins later confirmed it to Mackey.
Protests began across the United States this week and continued through Saturday following the death of George Floyd on Monday. Floyd, a black Minneapolis man, died after a white police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes while holding him in handcuffs.
The statue of Mario Lemieux outside PPG Paints Arena was spray-painted during the protests in Pittsburgh on Saturday.
Morehouse joined the Penguins as a consultant on the then-arena project in 2004. He was named team president in 2007 and was given CEO responsibilities in 2010.
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