Brent Renaud Killed in Ukraine at 50: A Tribute to the Award-Winning Filmmaker
Authorities have confirmed that Brent Renaud, a famed journalist, and filmmaker from the United States, has died in Ukraine amid the country's ongoing rift with Russia.
According to BBC, the 50-year-old journalist was in Irpin, a town outside Kyiv, for work as he's covering the region for Time Magazine.
Police chief Andriy Nebytov said Russian soldiers targeted Renaud. The filmmaker was not the only one shot in the incident, but the two other journalists were able to survive and were taken to the hospital.
One of the journalists, Juan Arrendono, revealed he spent time with Renaud when Russian soldiers attacked them.
In a video circulating online shared by Italian reporter Annalisa Camili, the journalist can be seen lying in a hospital bed being treated for his injuries.
Arrendondo, also from the United States, said they were across one of the first bridges in the area to film the refugees leaving, and they got into a car.
Somebody offered to take them to the other part of the bridge; then, soldiers started shooting at them when they arrived at a checkpoint.
"My friend is Brent Renaud, and he's been shot and left behind... I saw him being shot in the neck," he revealed.
The New York Times issued a statement about Renaud's death as the newspaper issued his press ID.
The outlet said they were "deeply saddened" about what happened to the journalist, but they clarified that he had not been working for them during his coverage in Ukraine.
The last time he worked for the newspaper was in 2015, and his press ID was issued many years ago.
On the other hand, Time Magazine's editor-in-chief and CEO Edward Felsenthal and the president and chief operating officer of Time and Time Studios, Ian Orefice, also shared a statement, saying they're both "devastated by the loss."
Who Was Brent Renaud?
According to his IMBd profile, Brent Renaud was a Peabody and DuPont Award-winning filmmaker.
He spent his last years producing movies and television programs and his brother, Craig Renaud.
The two siblings are popularly known for their style of storytelling as they previously covered heavy topics around the world, including the earthquake in Haiti, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as cartel violence in Mexico, and more.
Some of his notable film credits include "Taking the Hill," "Warrior Champions," "Dirty Driving: Thundercars of Indiana," "Little Rock Central: 50 Years Later," "Birdge to Baghdad," and many more.
