Statement From CBS News
May 29, 2006 — -- Following is a statement from CBS News regarding an attack which killed two journalists and seriously injured a third in Iraq today.
A CBS News television crew embedded with the 4th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army came under attack today in central Baghdad. The journalists -- correspondent Kimberly Dozier, cameraman Paul Douglas and soundman James Brolan -- were reporting from outside their humvee and are believed to have been wearing their protective gear. Douglas and Brolan, both London-based, were killed. Dozier sustained serious injuries in the attack and underwent surgery at a U.S. military hospital in Baghdad. She is in critical condition, but doctors are cautiously optimistic about her prognosis.
Douglas, 48, had worked for CBS News in many countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Rwanda and Bosnia, since the early 1990s. Brolan, 42, was a freelancer who had worked with CBS News in Baghdad and Afghanistan over the past year. He was part of the CBS News team that had received a 2006 Overseas Press Club Award for its reporting on the Pakistan earthquake. Dozier, 39, has been a CBS News correspondent, reporting from Iraq, for the past three years, Before that, she served as London bureau chief and chief European correspondent for CBS Radio News from 1996-2002. Dozier is the recipient of three American Women in Radio and Television (AWRT) Gracie Awards for her radio reports on Mideast violence, Kosovo and the Afghan war.
"This is a devastating loss for CBS News," said Sean McManus, President, CBS News and Sports. "Kimberly, Paul and James were veterans of war coverage who proved their bravery and dedication every single day. They always volunteered for dangerous assignments and were invaluable in our attempt to report the news to the American public. Our deepest sympathy goes out to the families of Paul and James, and we are hoping and praying for a complete recovery by Kimberly. Countless men and women put their lives on the line, day in and day out, in Iraq and other dangerous spots around the world, and they deserve our utmost respect and gratitude for the work they do."
