Mississippi police have issued an arrest warrant for an Ohio man accused of accosting NBC News’ Shaquille Brewster on live television.
Benjamin Eugene Dagley will be charged with two counts of simple assault, one count of disturbing the peace and one count of violating an emergency curfew, according to a statement from Gulfport police on Tuesday.
Given Dagley’s criminal record, authorities say that he could also be in violation of his probation out of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, for allegedly traveling without authorization.
The public was able to help identify the suspect after Gulfport police shared a press release requesting assistance on Monday.
Further investigation has also revealed that Dagley has left the Gulfport area and police are asking anyone with knowledge of his whereabouts to contact their local authorities.
Brewster was reporting on Tropical Storm Ida from the coastal Mississippi town when Dagley barged into the live shot, shouting in his face to “report accurately.” The clip went viral on Twitter Monday, with many commenters praising Brewster for maintaining his composure.
Once the segment ended, MSNBC’s Craig Melvin informed viewers from the studio that Brewster was unharmed by the “wacky guy.”
Later that day, Brewster tweeted, “Appreciate the concern guys. The team and I are all good!”
