Bizarre moment a California reporter explains on air that she tried to ‘reach out’ to a man killed in a police chase – but he was ‘unavailable for comment’
- News reporter Sara Welch had Twitter users laughing after she gave a live broadcast saying she was unable to get a comment from a dead man
- Welch made the gaffe in a May 5 report for KTLA while covering the death of Eliuth Penaloza Nava, 50, who was shot by cops 76 times
- The tweet highlighting Welch’s slip was shared by popular user Yashar Ali on September 16
- The tweet now boasts more than 55,000 likes and 13,000 retweets
A California news reporter made an on-air slip up after saying she reportedly tried to contact a man who died in a police chase, but he was ‘unavailable for comment.’
Sara Welch of KTLA was reporting in Anaheim when the TV station shared the clip on May 5.
While talking about Eliuth Penaloza Nava, 50, who was killed in a police chase by two officers, Welch mentioned trying to contact the deceased man.
She said: ‘We tried to reach out to the man who died in this pursuit. They were unavailable for comment.’
Sara Welch (pictured) was on air for KTLA when she said Eliuth Penaloza Nava, who was killed by police, was ‘unavailable for comment’
Well known Twitter user and journalist Yashar Ali shared a clip of the moment.
Ali said: ‘When I say I nearly passed out from laughing…’
Since the initial post, the tweet has gained more than 57,000 likes, 13,000 retweets and 1,500 comments.
Users quickly began to crack jokes about the gaffe.
Journalist Yashar Ali shared a clip of the moment on his Twitter account (pictured) causing users to begin poking fun at the on air slip
One Twitter user (pictured) said: ‘So the psychic medium wasn’t taking any calls?’
One user wrote: ‘So the psychic medium wasn’t taking calls?’
Another said Nava was ‘ghosting’ Welch.
‘When you’re the reported who goes the extra mile to get a comment, even if you don’y expect to get a response,’ one person said.
Another Twitter user joked that Nava was ‘ghosting’ Welch after someone said he was ‘ignoring her’
According to the KTLA report, Anaheim police were contacted on July 21, 2018, by Nava’s brother around 9.30am.
The brother told officers that Nava had taken an unknown substance and was hallucinating.
He also said Nava, who was driving a Chevy S-1-0, had a knife and gun inside his car.
Officers Sean Staymates and Kevin Pedersen responded to the call, but when they attempted to confront Nava he fled the scene.
KTLA reported that two police officers in Anaheim, California, were involved in a high speed chase that resulted in Nava being shot 76 times
The disturbing footage was captured on officers Sean Staymates and Kevin Pedersen bodycams
The two officers soon became embroiled in a high speed chase with Nava in a residential neighborhood, as seen in body cam footage.
At one point during the pursuit, Pedersen believed Nava was in possession of a black, semi- automatic weapon.
Officers shot Nava 76 times, drawing outrage from the victim’s family and the Anaheim community and forcing the Anaheim Police Department to publicly address the incident.
According to KTLA, neither officer will face any charges in Nava’s death.