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

KKCO reporter Ja’Ronn Alex was assaulted by a man who followed him back to the station.

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

The driver, later identified as Patrick Thomas Egan, reportedly shouted, “Are you even a U.S. Citizen? This is Trump’s America now! I’m a Marine, and I took an oath to protect this country from people like you!” while stopped next to Alex at a stoplight.

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

Egan then reportedly tackled Alex to the ground and placed him in a headlock, attempting to strangle him. Officers said that’s when several other employees ran out and pulled Egan’s arms from around Alex’s neck before pinning Egan to the ground. Authorities said the employees held Egan on the ground until law enforcement arrived.

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

Officers took Egan into custody and booked him into the Mesa County Jail. He is facing charges of assault in the second degree, bias-motivated crimes, and harassment.

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