Grand Junction Reporter Assaulted by Man Who Yelled ‘This is Trump’s America Now’

KKCO reporter Yes Ronn Alex he was assaulted by a man who followed him to the station.

As Alex was driving to the station after a story on Wednesday, he noticed a vehicle marked as a Sunshine Rides taxi following him.

The driver, later identified as Patrick Thomas Eganhe said yelling, “Are you even a citizen of the United States? This is Trump’s America now! I’m a Marine, and I took an oath to protect this country from people like you!” as he stood next to Alex at a traffic light.

When Alex arrived at the station, Egan allegedly began chasing him as he ran to the front door demanding to see Alex’s ID, asking if he was American, and repeating that he was a Marine who took an oath to defend the country

Egan said after tackling Alex to the ground and placing him in a headlock, attempting to strangle him. Officials said that’s when several other employees ran up and pulled Egan’s arms around Alex’s neck before knocking Egan to the ground. Authorities said employees held Egan on the ground until law enforcement arrived.

The attack was captured by the station’s security camera.

Officers took Egan into custody and booked him into the Mesa County Jail. He faces charges of assault in the second degree, crimes motivated by prejudice and harassment.

Alex told police he believed Egan followed him because of his Pacific Islander ethnicity. According to his KKCO profile, Alex is “a native of Detroit, Michigan, and has resided in various locations in the eastern and southern regions of the United States. In 2023, he successfully obtained a Bachelor of Arts in English from Clemson University .