‘Cops' Crew Member Killed in Shootout While Filming
Emmy-nominated television show "Cops" has long given viewers a rare looking into everyday encounters between police officers and criminals.
The show has proven to be entertaining, but sometimes the officers and crew members put themselves in very real danger. Tuesday provided a sobering reminder of that danger when a "Cops" crew member was killed in a shootout in Omaha, Neb, KETV reported.
Omaha police said the incident started as an armed robbery at a Wendy's restaurant around 9:20 p.m. The robbery then escalated into a shootout when the suspect fired on police. In the gunfire, both the suspect and television crew member were hit.
Both were taken to the University of Nebraska Hospital, where the suspect in the shooting died on Tuesday, according to USA Today. The "Cops" employee died on Wednesday, according to reports.
The names of both the crew member and the suspect have not yet been released, as authorities are waiting to inform family members.
The Omaha police aren't seeking any other suspects in the shooting and no officers were hurt in Tuesday's shooting. Before the Wendy's incident, Omaha police reported another robbery at a Little Caesar's restaurant and believe the two cases may be connected.
"Cops" has been filming in Omaha for the majority of the summer. In June, Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer told the media that he wanted "Cops" to catch his officers in action in order to put "the professionalism of our officers on display for the city and the world to see."
The show installs camera crews with police officers and doesn't narrate the show, with the exception of the interactions between the police and the people they encounter. The show's website claims it is one on the first true and unscripted reality shows.
"Cops" came on the air on March 11, 1989 and has been nominated for four Emmy awards.
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