Margo Spann, journalist and entrepreneur, killed in hit-and-run in Los Angeles
Spann was a businesswoman and board member of National Association of Black Journalists' Los Angeles chapter
Margo Spann, an award-winning television journalist and entrepreneur, was killed last week in an early morning hit-and-run in Los Angeles.
Spann, 40, was struck by a vehicle while walking crossing an intersection in the Arlington Heights neighborhood in the center part of the city. The incident happened around 6:30 a.m. Thursday.
The car, said to be a white Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, fled the scene, according to Pacific Attorney Group.
Spann served as a board member of the Los Angeles chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists. The chapter made a statement announcing Spann’s death on its official Instagram page.
READ MORE: Former NABJ president Bryan Monroe suffers a fatal heart attack at age 55
“With heavy hearts and great concern, the Board of Directors of NABJLA send our condolences to the family of our fellow board member Margo Spann, who was killed in a hit-and-run incident earlier this week.”
The post continued, “We join the outpouring of love from Margo’s friends, family and former colleagues back home in Milwaukee. We send our love and support to her family at this time of unspeakable pain and grief.”
Spann, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, started her journalism career in her hometown of Milwaukee as an assignment editor at ABC-affiliate WISN-TV, according to her official website bio. She cut her teeth as an on-air reporter for then-The WB’s WVTV. After departing there, she split time as an on-air reporter, anchor and producer at CBS’ WSAW-TV.
READ MORE: NABJ wants two CBS executives fired amid racism allegations
After four years of TV work in Milwaukee, Spann moved west to Madison, Wisconsin to work as a Rock County reporter at CBS’ WISC-TV. In 2014 she made the move to Los Angeles to become an entertainment and red carpet correspondent.
Spann won numerous awards for her television work in Wisconsin, receiving honors for her news writing, live shots and videography.
At the time of her death, Spann was CEO of her own production company and consulting firm, Cocoa Hollywood Media.
Madison’s News 3 Now, where Spann worked as an on-air reporter from 2010 to 2014, also paid tribute to Spann during one of their broadcasts this week.
“All of us who worked with Margo remember her warm personality, who made everyone laugh and made our newsroom a brighter place,” anchor Eric Franke said on air.
The suspect who was driving the vehicle that killed Spann has not been identified, according to Pacific Attorney Group, and a $50,000 reward has been put up for anyone with information that would lead to the apprehension of the driver.
It has been requested that anyone with leads contact the LAPD West Traffic Division at 213-473-0234 or 213-473-0562, or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477. The NABJLA has also posted the information on their Instagram.
“Additionally, in the midst of our collective grief, we call on LAPD for transparency and on our community for assistance in finding who killed Margo,” said the NABJLA statement.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. Download theGrio today!
