CBS snags ABC reporter who apologized for remarks about alleged Kirk shooter

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The ABC Information reporter who apologized in September for calling the correspondence between Charlie Kirk ’s suspected murderer, Tyler Robinson, and his transgender romantic associate "very touching," is leaping to CBS, the community introduced Tuesday.

Matt Gutman, whose feedback resulted in a wave of backlash on social media, turns into the primary main rent by just lately put in CBS Information editor-in-chief Bari Weiss. He's set to have a significant presence at CBS Information, reporting for "CBS Mornings," "CBS Night Information," serving as lead correspondent for "48 Hours" and contributing to future seasons of "60 Minutes." He'll function CBS Information chief correspondent.

"Matt Gutman goes there. He brings the viewers together with him to no matter story he's masking, and he approaches his work with the qualities we search for in all our journalists: fearlessness, vitality and relentlessness," Weiss mentioned in a press release.

ABC REPORTER APOLOGIZES FOR GUSHY REMARKS ABOUT KIRK SHOOTER'S ‘TOUCHING’ MESSAGES TO TRANS ROMANTIC PARTNER

ABC Information reporter Matt Gutman will transfer to CBS Information as chief correspondent, reporting throughout a number of flagship packages. (Lorenzo Bevilaqua/Getty)

Gutman, who might be primarily based in Los Angeles , may also function a fill-in anchor.

Gutman was reporting from a press convention earlier this 12 months for ABC Information when authorities introduced homicide fees towards Robinson. Gutman commented on the emotion proven by the suspected murderer towards his transgender roommate in textual content messages associated to the killing.

In texts between Robinson and his roommate, who regulation enforcement confirms has been within the strategy of transitioning, the suspect referred to the roommate as "my love" a number of instances. Gutman discovered himself in scorching water after he remarked on that a part of the trade.

"It was very touching in a method that many people did not anticipate," Gutman mentioned. "A really intimate portrait into this relationship between the suspect’s roommate and the suspect himself, with him repeatedly calling his roommate, who's transitioning, calling him ‘my love.’ And ‘I need to defend you, my love.'"

Gutman continued: "I don’t suppose I’ve ever skilled a press convention by which we’ve learn textual content messages which can be a) so fulsome, so sturdy, so apparently allegedly self-incriminating and but, then again, so touching, proper?"

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Matt Gutman turns into the primary main rent by just lately put in CBS Information editor-in-chief Bari Weiss. (ABC/Lorenzo Bevilaqua by way of Getty Pictures)

He added that there's a "heartbreaking duality" concerning the crime, referring each to Kirk’s assassination and the apparent romantic connection between Robinson and his roommate.

On ABC Information' livestream platform, Gutman initially doubled down, calling it "heartbreaking on so many ranges" and linking Kirk's brutal homicide to the "portrait of a really human individual."

Gutman later apologized, stating that he regretted that his phrases didn't come out as supposed.

"I attempted to underscore the jarring distinction between this chilly blooded assassination of Charlie Kirk — a person who devoted his life to public dialogue — and the private, disturbing texts learn aloud by the Utah County Lawyer on the press convention," Gutman wrote on X.

"I deeply remorse that my phrases didn't make that clear," he continued. "However let there be zero doubt: I unequivocally condemn this horrific crime and the ache it prompted Charlie Kirk's household, those that had been compelled to witness it at UVU, and the tens of millions of individuals he impressed."

That was not Gutman’s solely public apology whereas working at ABC Information.

ABC NEWS SUSPENDS CORRESPONDENT FOR FALSELY SUGGESTING ALL OF KOBE BRYANT'S CHILDREN ON HELICOPTER

Bari Weiss was formally named editor-in-chief of CBS Information earlier this 12 months. (Noam Galai/Getty Pictures for The Free Press)

In 2020, Gutman was suspended by ABC Information after inaccurately suggesting that each one 4 of Kobe Bryant's kids had been on the helicopter that crashed and killed the NBA legend and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna.

Gutman issued a correction and an apology later within the day.

"Right now I inaccurately reported it was believed that 4 of Kobe Bryant’s kids had been on board that flight. That's incorrect. I apologize to Kobe’s household, buddies and our viewers," Gutman acknowledged.

Gutman has intensive expertise masking Center East conflicts, was one of many earliest journalists to reach in Israel after the Oct. 7 terror assault and was on the bottom in Ukraine when Russia invaded. He has additionally coated quite a lot of pure disasters and different newsworthy occasions throughout six continents.

He begins at CBS on Jan. 5.

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Fox Information Digital’s Gabriel Hays and Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.

Brian Flood is a media editor/reporter for FOX Information Digital. Story suggestions might be despatched to brian.flood@fox.com and on Twitter: @briansflood.