Benjamin Dagley Biography – Wiki
Benjamin Dagley is an Ohio man accused of confronting MSNBC reporter Shaquille Brewster in Mississippi while on the air talking about Hurricane Ida, Gulfport police say. He is wanted on multiple charges and Gulfport police say he is on probation in his home state of Ohio. He was identified after police asked the public for clues. The video of August 30, 2021, incident went viral on social media. Brewster was not injured.
Dagley is an Ohio native and divorced, according to court records. He has been involved in multiple lawsuits involving his former company, records show. Dagley’s mother, Gerri Diamond, was a blues singer known for performing in the Dayton, Ohio, area and in Florida, where she lived until her death in 2014, according to her obituary.
Brewster previously worked at Hearst Television, The Associated Press, and WHUT and graduated from Howard University with degrees in television journalism and political science in 2014. Brewster, 28, grew up in Connecticut. On Instagram, Brewster wrote: “Overwhelmed with love and support today after what was definitely the wildest moment I’ve ever had on the air. Our team joked about it afterward, but it was certainly as scary for us as it was for all of you who saw it. Although that single report was interrupted, we were back in the next hour and we will continue to report here as we do.
Age
Benjamin Dagley is 54-years-old.
Assaulted MSNBC’s Shaq Brewster
Things got very hairy for NBC News reporter Shaquille Brewster during a live Hurricane Ida report from Gulfport, MS.
Some guy jumps out of a pickup truck and angrily confronts Brewster’s crew, prompting a shaken Craig Melvin to express extreme concern for his colleague. pic.twitter.com/v1tYnUsqTj
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) August 30, 2021
Gulfport police said Ben Dagley confronted MSNBC correspondent Shaquille Brewster on Highway 90 on August 30, 2021, around 12:38 p.m. during a city-wide curfew. Police asked the public for help in identifying the man seen in MSNBC video during the incident and learned his name in just a few hours.
MSNBC video shows Brewster reporting near the water on Hurricane Ida when a white truck pulls up quickly behind him. A man can be seen getting out of the driver’s seat of the truck and running towards Brewster as he spoke live with MSNBC’s Craig Melvin. Brewster turns to see the man yelling at him and says to Melvin, “I think we even have a random person.” As the man yells, “Report accurately, report accurately,” Brewster walks away from the man and tells his cameraman to turn around and says, “I’m going to turn this way because, you know, we deal with people from once in a while and for a while. ”
Brewster then continues to report him until the man’s screams can be picked up by his microphones. Brewster tells Melvin, “Craig, I’m going to give it back to you because we have a person who needs a little help right now.” Then the man faces Brewster’s face and yells again, “Report accurately, report accurately.” Melvin then says, “Hey, hey, hey, hey,” as the television network cuts to him. “There’s a lot of crazy stuff out there,” Melvin said. Melvin then went back on the air and called the man a “crazy guy” and said, “Shaq, it’s okay.”
After the incident, Shaq Brewster tweeted: “Appreciate the concern guys. The team and I are fine! “Brewster has been a correspondent for MSNBC and NBC News for more than seven years, according to his LinkedIn profile. He began his NBC News career as a Tim Russert Fellow from 2014 to 2015 and was a campaign reporter in 2016, producer in the Chicago area. from 2016 to 2019 and political reporter from 2019 to 2020 before becoming a roving correspondent.
MSNBC Said Brewster ‘Did Not Let Someone Intimidate Him From Doing His Job
MSNBC President Rashida Jones said in a statement: “Shaq Brewster is an exceptional journalist. As the consummate professional, he didn’t let anyone intimidate him into not doing his job. We’re glad he and the team are safe, and we couldn’t be more proud and supportive of his work. ”Jones said Brewster showed the actions of an“ accomplished professional ”and praised him for how he handled the situation.
Brewster received support from other journalists on Twitter after the incident. Craig Melvin, who was on the air speaking to Brewster when the incident occurred, tweeted: “This is beyond unacceptable and disgusting. @shaqbrewster was trying to do his job on a beach in Gulfport, MS. Shaq is fine. This guy who almost attacked him clearly isn’t. ”
Dave Weigel of The Washington Post tweeted: “GOAT @shaqbrewster: interrupted * twice * by a man-baby who has a tantrum and moves on.” Skyler Henry of CBS News tweeted: “JUST LET THE PEOPLE DO THEIR JOBS. Happy you’re good @shaqbrewster. ”
The National Association of Black Journalists tweeted: “#NABJ is disturbed by the treatment of our
@shaqbrewster in this video. Journalists must be protected from this type of harassment while on the job. We encourage local officials to investigate the matter. We’re here for you, Shaq, I’m glad you’re safe. Please reach out if we can help. “NABJ President Dorothy Tucker added:” I am in touch with @shaqbrewster and he tells me that he is doing well. The safety of our @NABJ members is imperative. We are pleased to see that @RJonesNews company leadership is now involved. ”
Believed to Be Driving a White 2016 Ford F150
Gulfport police did not say if they had found out why Dagley had traveled to the Mississippi Gulf Coast in the run-up to Hurricane Ida or why he was in the region. Heavy was unable to reach Dagley for comment and it was not immediately clear if he has an attorney who can comment on his behalf.
Police added: “Benjamin Dagley is believed to be traveling in a white 2016 Ford F150 with Ohio license plate PJR1745. If you know Dagley’s whereabouts, contact your local law enforcement agency. ”
Charged & Arrested
An arrest warrant was issued on Aug. 31, 2021, charging Dagley, 54, with two counts of simple battery, one count of disorderly conduct, and one count of violation of the emergency curfew, police said in Gulfport in a press release. According to police, Gulfport authorities contacted the Cuyahoga County Adult Probation Department after reviewing Dagley’s criminal record and determining that there could be a possible violation of probation in Ohio. “One of the conditions of Dagley’s probation included travel restrictions,” police said. Dagley lives in Wooster, Ohio.
Ben Dagley was arrested in August 2017 in Ohio in an incident at a once-owned business, Cleveland Plating, according to Cleveland.com. Dagley, then 50, was charged with breaking into the electroplating business and drilling tanks containing dangerous chemicals. An employee was hospitalized for exposure to toxic chemicals, police said at the time, adding that the incident could have caused an “environmental disaster.”
The newspaper reported that the tanks contained sodium cyanide, hydrochloric acid, yellow chromate, ferrous chloride, and sulfuric acid. The owner of the company at the time, Ed Cochran, told Cleveland.com: “If you mix the (cyanide and hydrochloric acid), you basically have the cyanide gas from World War I. It would certainly produce a toxic vapor that could kill. ”
Cochran told the newspaper: “Thank goodness we have security guards there 24/7. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been discovered until (the next morning) and it would have been late. ”She said a security guard was hospitalized after she was exposed to the chemicals, but was released from the hospital shortly after. According to Cleveland .com, Dagley, who still owned the property where the business was located, was involved in a financial dispute over the property, his mortgage, and the Cleveland Plating lease.
Cochran told the newspaper: “He wants us to fix ourselves and we will not pay, so I think he has done all this.” Dagley had previously been charged with misdemeanor battery after he was accused of slamming a security guard on a door and punching him in the mouth in June 2017.
According to Cuyahoga County Court records, Dagley was initially charged with criminal use of a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear weapon or explosive device, attempted criminal assault, criminal assault, two counts of inducing panic, burglary, two counts of vandalism and extortion. He pleaded guilty to charges of attempted criminal battery, including panic and vandalism, and the other charges were dropped, records show.
Criminal Record
Dagley’s criminal record in Ohio includes other arrests and traffic violations, according to court records in several counties in the state. Gulfport police said Dagley is on probation in Cuyahoga County but did not specify how long she is on probation. Cuyahoga County officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
Dagley’s previous charges include speeding, driving without a seatbelt, driving with an expired registration, driving with a 12-point suspension, improper recoil. He was also charged with a wildlife violation.
Following his conviction in the 2017 case, Dagley was ordered to complete an anger management program, according to Cuyahoga County court records. Along with the arrest warrant in Mississippi, Dagley now also has an active warrant in Ohio charging him with a parole violation, court records show. The order was issued at the request of his parole officer and Judge Michael J. Russo said Dagley left Ohio without permission.
Investigation
“Further investigation revealed that Dagley has left the area and is no longer on the Mississippi Gulf Coast,” the press release said. “The Gulfport Police Department would like to thank the public for coming forward and helping identify Dagley.”
