The first word came on social media, and Las Vegas-based VJ Ty ONeil moved quickly: a Tesla Cybertruck was on fire outside the Trump tower. In short order, results followed: b-roll from social media, UGC of the burning truck, interview eyewitnesses and a live shot that went up faster than competitors.
Production was busy with edits of the New Orleans attack, so ONeil found time to pull together his video elements. Anita Snow compiled the Day 1 story, reporting and weaving feeds from various journalists on New Year’s Day.
Justice Department reporter Alanna Durkin Richer and White House reporter Colleen Long secured key details about the suspect and the investigation, including the name of the man who died and that investigators did not believe the explosion was linked to the New Orleans attack. Durkin Richer also landed key information from a source about a fight Matthew Livelsberger, the driver, had with his wife and other details witnesses provided to investigators. Before the name of the Cybertruck driver was released, Pentagon correspondent Tara Copp tapped longtime sources to help report that he was in the Army. That source work also allowed her to report before the military released his service record that he was a Green Beret and spent time at North Carolina’s Fort Bragg at the same time as the New Orleans attacker.
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