A WREG reporter fell victim to carjacking on Tuesday morning while at a South Memphis gas station. The reporter, identified as Mike Suriani, was approached by a masked suspect at the Mobil gas station on E.H. Crump Boulevard and Third Street, as reported by WREG.
According to the Local Memphis news outlet, Suriani was attempting to get gas at around 10:45 a.m. when the suspect, described as a black man approximately 6 feet in height, confronted him. Wearing a mask, the man demanded the keys to Suriani's news vehicle, a white 2016 Toyota RAV4, while brandishing a gun.
The suspect, now identified as 43-year-old Lashunaye Railford, was arrested and charged with carjacking and possession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, walking up to Suriani with his hand on a gun that stuck out of his pocket, reports WREG. The Memphis Police Department announced that Railford was found yesterday in the stolen vehicle on the 1700 block of South Orleans Street and was subsequently taken into custody. His bond has not been set as of the latest reports.
In the wake of the incident, WREG managed to secure surveillance video capturing the event, and though the stolen vehicle did not sport a WREG logo, it was marked with the number 19 on the bottom right bumper and had a tag number BHM 6360. While Suriani was left unharmed, the suspect drove away with not just the vehicle but also Suriani's personal items and camera equipment, shouts the man to give him the car keys just before he took off southbound on Third Street, detailed in a news report by NewsNation.
The Memphis Police Department has encouraged anyone with relevant information concerning the carjacking to contact CrimeStoppers at (901) 528-CASH.
