Pierre Zakrzewski, a cameraman for Fox News, was killed in Ukraine on Monday, Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott told staff in a company-wide memo on Tuesday morning. He was 55.
Zakrzewski and Fox News correspondent Benjamin Hall were reporting in Horenka, outside of Kyvi, Ukraine, when their vehicle came under fire. Hall remains hospitalized in Ukraine.
“Pierre was a war zone photographer who covered nearly every international story for Fox News from Iraq to Afghanistan to Syria during his long tenure with us. His passion and talent as a journalist were unmatched. Based in London, Pierre had been working in Ukraine since February. 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. He was profoundly committed to telling the story and his bravery, professionalism and work ethic were renowned among journalists at every media outlet. He was wildly popular — everyone in the media industry who has covered a foreign story knew and respected Pierre,” Scott said in the memo.
“Last year he played a key role in getting our Afghan freelance associates and their families out of the country after the U.S. withdrawal,” the memo said. “In December at our annual employee Spotlight Awards, Pierre was given the ‘Unsung Hero’ award in recognition of his invaluable work.”
Zakrzewski also received an on-air tribute on Fox News Tuesday morning: “Pierre Zakrzewski was an absolute legend at this network and his loss is devastating. He has been with us for years covering wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and Syria. Our CEO, Suzanne Scott, noted a few moments ago that Pierre jumped in to help out with all sorts of roles in the field — photographer, engineer, editor and producer and he did it all under immense pressure and with tremendous skill. The president of Fox, Jay Wallace, says that everyone always felt an extra sense of reassurance when they arrived on the scene, and they saw that Pierre was there. 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.”