GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO/Gray News) – A man is accused of strangling a reporter in a racially-targeted attack outside of a news station in Colorado last month.
Patrick Egan, 39, followed a KKCO news reporter for several miles, according to police. When they reached the news station, Egan allegedly rushed at and tackled the victim and began choking them until several KKCO employees restrained him.
Egan questioned the reporter’s citizenship and said, “This is Trump’s America now,” during the attack, according to police.
In his second court appearance Thursday, Egan’s legal counsel said that Egan is unlikely to commit a similar attack again, but the judge said Egan had several legal records in California citing several similar crimes and offenses.
Egan’s bail was set at $20,000, which was posted on Friday and he was released.
Egan is prohibited from coming within 100 yards of the victim. The judge also advised Egan to be “hyper-aware” when any news reporters are present.
Egan is facing several charges, including bias-motivated crimes, 2nd-degree assault by strangulation and harassment by following and ethnic intimidation.
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