Brett Shipp, an investigative reporter for WFAA-TV (Channel 8), was assaulted by Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price during a confrontation Wednesday morning at the commissioner’s road and bridge district office, the station said.
Michael Valentine, vice president of news for the station, said Price put his forearm into Shipp’s throat and pushed him. Price then threatened to “split his throat open,” Valentine said.
Price could not be reached immediately for comment.
Shipp said he was not seriously hurt, according to WFAA.
The encounter took place shortly after 11 a.m. at Price’s road and bridge office at 1506 E. Langdon Road, in southern Dallas near Hutchins. Shipp was working on a continuing story questioning payments the county made to a company owned by Willis Johnson, a friend of Price’s. The company, Wai-Wize, has been paid more than $440,000 in state grant money administered by the county since 2005 for the implementation and maintenance of a satellite communication network.
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