Reporter groped on live TV not sure whether she will pursue criminal charges

A reporter who was groped on live TV while covering a running event on Tuesday said she was going to “take my time” in deciding whether to pursue criminal charges against the runner that slapped her backside.

Alex Bozarjian, a reporter for the NBC affiliate WSAV in Savannah, Ga., was covering an annual running event on Saturday when a runner ran by and appeared to grab her backside.

“I think what is most important here is he took my power and I’m trying to take that back,” Bozarjian told “CBS This Morning” on Tuesday. “And whether I am open to it or not, I want to take my time with that. And I think what it really comes down to is that he helped himself to a part of my body.”

“He took my power… He helped himself to a part of my body.” — @WSAVAlexB pic.twitter.com/ekVFa6Nf1B

— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) December 10, 2019

Bozarjian described her reaction as “disbelief” and added that “the emotion is extremely relatable for women all over the world.”

Bozarjian said that the runner attempted to reach out through the station.

“He did try to make contact with our station … and kind of was saying that his intentions were not to hurt me — he didn’t intend to do it, which [I’m] not going to really debate that because he did hurt me,” she said in the Tuesday interview. 

Joseph Turner, an attorney for the runner who has been identified as Tommy Callaway, said in a statement obtained by The Hill that his client “did not act with any criminal intentions. Tommy is a loving husband and father. … We do not expect any criminal charges, and we are working with those involved to correct the situation.”

A video of the incident went viral over the weekend and shows Bozarjian continuing with her coverage seconds after the incident, although she appears visibly shaken. 

Bozarjian posted the video herself, telling the runner that he “violated, objectified, and embarrassed me.”

To the man who smacked my butt on live TV this morning: You violated, objectified, and embarrassed me. No woman should EVER have to put up with this at work or anywhere!! Do better. https://t.co/PRLXkBY5hn

— Alex Bozarjian (@wsavalexb) December 7, 2019 

She has since filed a police report with the Savannah Police Department, and Callaway has been banned from future Savannah Sports Council races.

—Updated at 10:23 a.m.