Cops: Ex-Fox TV producer kills himself outside NYC headquarters
NEW YORK (AP) — A former employee of a Fox television station in Texas shot himself to death outside the company's New York headquarters today, shortly after handing out fliers saying the company had ended his career, police said.
Philip Perea, 41, shot himself in the chest about 9 a.m. outside the building near Radio City Music Hall that houses Fox News, the New York Post and The Wall Street Journal. Perea left a suicide note, authorities said, and a weapon was recovered at the scene. No other injuries were reported.
He was pronounced dead shortly afterward at a hospital. Perea was employed as a producer at a Fox News station in Austin until June, according to Fox officials. He worked at the station FOX7-KTBC for 10 months, according to a statement from Jack Abernethy, CEO of Fox Television Stations, to employees.
"We are deeply saddened by this tragedy," he wrote.
A spokeswoman for Fox stations had no further comment. Fox is part of the media conglomerate News Corp., controlled by Rupert Murdoch.