Jodon F. Romero: Wanted felon who shot himself in head ON LIVE TV is pictured
Pictured: Wanted felon who shot himself in head ON LIVE TV after high-speed police chase that was followed by Fox News helicopter
- Suspected carjacker who committed suicide on Fox News identified as wanted felon Jordon F. Romero
- 33-year-old had long criminal history and was wanted for violating parole for a weapons conviction
- Fox News kept cameras rolling as man got out of car, held gun to his head and shot himself, horrifying viewers
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Suicide: The carjacking suspect who shot himself in the head on live television yesterday has been identified as wanted felon, Jodon F. Romero, pictured
The carjacking suspect who shot himself in the head on live television yesterday has been identified as wanted felon, Jodon F. Romero.
Countless Fox News viewers were horrified as they watched Romero, 33, lead police on an hour-long high-speed car chase around midday, which ended with him getting out, putting a gun to his temple and ending his life.
Phoenix Police spokesman Sgt. Tommy Thompson said today Romero was a wanted felon with a long criminal history.
He said the man had numerous previous convictions for violent acts and was being hunted for violating parole for a weapons conviction.
According to police, Romero stole a car at gunpoint before yesterday's dangerous pursuit and an officer fired at Romero just before he shot himself in the desert miles west of Phoenix but he apparently was not hit.
Fox News was broadcasting the car chase live using a television news helicopter shot from its Phoenix affiliate KSAZ-TV.
Anchor Shepard Smith, who is notorious for his car chase commentary, said: 'Umm, I don’t know. Look at this - he’s just running. Oh my. Well, it looks like he’s a little disoriented or something. It’s always possible guy could be on something.'
But then, the suspect put a handgun to his head and pulled the trigger, as gasps could be heard in the Fox News control room.
'Get off,' Smith said repeatedly, urging his director to go to commercial. 'Get off it!'
An ad began just after an exasperated Smith slumped back in his chair. Coming back from commercial, Smith told viewers minutes later that the video was supposed to be on a delay.
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Tense moment: Fox News was broadcasting live when the suspect ran out of the vehicle, held a gun to his head, and pulled the trigger
'Get off it': Anchor Shepard Smith yelled for the camera to pull away from the chase, believing that the feed was on a tape delay
He then apologised, saying: 'We really messed up, and we're all very sorry.'
Smith added: 'That didn't belong on TV. We took every precaution we knew how to take to keep that from being on TV. And I personally apologize to you that that happened.
'Sometimes we see a lot of things that we don't let get to you, because it's not time appropriate, it's insensitive, it's just wrong. And that was wrong. And that won't happen again on my watch. And I'm sorry.'
Also apologising after the incident was the network's executive vice president of news editorial Michael Clemente.
In a statement to TV Newser, he said: 'We took every precaution to avoid any such live incident by putting the helicopter pictures on a five second delay.
'Unfortunately, this mistake was the result of a severe human error and we apologize for what viewers ultimately saw on the screen.'
Disturbing: The man fled and appeared disoriented after he ditched the car and began running
Running: The camera remained on the suspect as he attempted to flee
On Saturday, Sgt. Thompson said police did everything in their power to de-escalate the situation, but Romero seemed intent on continuing a crime spree that began with a minor incident where he apparently hit a passing car with his hand, leading to a call to police.
As officers were heading to the south Phoenix area, they learned that a Dodge Caliber sedan had just been stolen at gunpoint from a nearby restaurant parking lot.
They spotted the car and gave chase, but pulled back when Romero running red lights and endangering the public, Thompson said. Instead, unmarked cars and a police helicopter began following him at a distance.
'Umm, I don't know. Look at this - he's just running. Oh my. Well, it looks like he's a little disoriented or something. It's always possible guy could be on something.'- Shepard Smith
Romero drove into an industrial area and spotted two marked police units, with one officer standing beside one car talking with another officer. He veered into their lane and opened fire, missing the officers but hitting one patrol car.
He then got onto Interstate 10, heading west toward California at speeds in excess of 100 mph.
The police helicopter and unmarked police vehicles followed at a distance, and the Fox helicopter began its coverage.
Romero fired at the police helicopter during the chase, but didn't hit it, Thompson said.
About 75 miles west of Phoenix he got off the interstate and drove off into the surrounding desert.
He eventually stopped, got out of the car and began walking down a dirt road. That's when an officer fired one shot at him.
Although Thompson said it appear the shot missed, television footage shows Romero stumbling and falling down and appearing to feel his torso before waking into some brush.
That's when he shot himself in the head. An autopsy will determine if he was actually shot by an officer as well.
'Get off it': Smith urged his director to go to commercial, thinking that the shooting was on a tape delay
Thompson said it was clear to officers they had to stop Romero from getting back to a populated area.
'Anybody who will shoot at police officers, that shows a total disregard for them, will shoot at anybody else,' he said. 'And this needed to be put to an end. Even after we backed out all the marked units he still continued to go.'
Arizona Department of Corrections records show Romero was imprisoned from April 2010 to June 2012 for a felony weapons charge.
More frequently than its rivals, Fox News Channel picks up car chases from its local affiliates and airs them live.
It's gripping television, a live mystery with no clear resolution, and often provides a short-term ratings boost as viewers tune in to see how it ends.
Critics say the chases themselves rarely rise to the level of national news. The Phoenix station was not airing the chase live when it ended.
Fox's top competitors, CNN and MSNBC, did not air the chase at all.
Phoenix police said the chase started with a carjacking.
The man, who was not identified, then drove west on Interstate 10 for dozens of miles before getting on the dirt road.
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