KPIX reporters remember killed security guard Kevin Nishita; ‘Just the Kindest Man’ – CBS San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) – Kevin Nishita made a difference in the lives of many people – as a police officer, security guard, family man and as a friend.

He dedicated his life to the safety and well-being of others, including the news team at KPIX and other Bay Area television stations.

“He was part of our news family. The loss is just huge,” KPIX reporter Maria Cid Medina said on Saturday.

“It hurts to say ‘was’. He was just the kindest man,” KPIX reporter Andria Borba said.

Kevin Nishita, a retired police officer working as a security guard, died early Saturday morning of a gunshot wound he sustained during a robbery and shooting on Wednesday.

Nishita died Saturday morning after he was shot Wednesday during an attempted armed robbery. He worked as a security guard for a KRON TV news team on the spot in Oakland at the time.

Journalists from all news outlets in the city have shared their reactions on social media, with condolences and heartfelt wishes.

“The entire television market is feeling the loss – in San Francisco and in the Bay Area,” said Cid Medina.

RELATED: News Crew Security guard shot in Oakland dies of injuries

Local news teams here in the Bay Area often work with security guards while on duty, so journalists and photographers get to know the guards well.

“These security guards are standing next to us every single minute we are on a story,” Cid Medina said.

Cid Medina says Nishita was always at his game as a security guard, but he was also very kind. One night after they worked together, he wrote to her, “Your story was amazing! I’ll give it five stars.”

“He was really one of a kind and really, sincerely, a caring person,” she said.

Borba also appreciated the kindness of Nishita.

“Kevin was so unfailingly kind,” she said. “The reactions on Twitter and Facebook today from Bay Area’s news reporters – we’re all in a state of shock.”

She recently worked a long shift with Nishita. At the end of the night, she planned to take the train home, but Nishita begged her to let him drive her home to make sure she got there safely.

“Kevin stopped me and said, ‘I can not let you. It’s not safe for you to be on the train. Let me drive you home, please. My wife would be very upset if I let you come on that train. . ‘ So he drove. An hour away from him. He claimed, ‘I’m missing some Bay Bridge traffic because of this,’ said Borba. “This is a man who cared so much about our safety that he drove an hour of the road to make sure I got home. It hurts that he did not get home. “

A kind soul, some people felt lucky to call a colleague and a friend.

“He wanted to make sure people were always okay. He wanted to make sure we were all taken care of,” Borba said. “He wanted to make sure the people we interviewed were taken care of by putting a umbrella up when it rained so they did not get wet. He’s such a kind person. ”

Former Colma police officer Kevin Nishita. Nishita, a retired police officer and armed guard who provided security for many journalists in the region, was fatally shot during an attempted robbery of KRON-TV camera equipment in Oakland (Colma Police Department via AP)

Prior to working as a security guard, Nishita had a long career in law enforcement. He spent several years working as an officer with the Oakland Housing Authority, then went on to the Hayward Police Department, the San Jose Police Department and the Colma Police Department, where he retired as a sergeant in 2018.

There is a growing reward for information leading to an arrest. People with any information that may help with the investigation are encouraged to contact the Oakland Police Homicide Unit at (510) 238-3821 or CrimeStoppers.

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