CBS News released an announcement following a camera operator suffering a “medical emergency” survive air throughout the CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil.
“Tonight throughout the final segment of CBS Evening News, our cameraman on set suffered a medical emergency. Thankfully, he’s okay and recovering,” read a tweet from CBS News on Wednesday, May 13.
Earlier within the night, Tony Dokoupil interrupted a live report on the CBS Evening News when a crew member seemingly collapsed in front of him. The episode was airing live from Taiwan upfront of President Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday, May 14.
“And eventually tonight from Taiwan, as President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping prepare to fulfill, we are going to hear lots about American decline and the rise of a strong recent China,” Dokoupil, 45, began his segment.
He then veered from his script to ask, “Is he OK?”
The CBS Evening News immediately cut away from the live shot as a commotion might be heard on the makeshift set.
After several seconds of dead air, Dokoupil announced to viewers, “We’re going to take a fast break. We now have a medical emergency here.”
Within the seconds before the CBS Evening News cut away, the sounds of pained sighs might be heard on air in addition to more commotion on the set.
“We’re calling a health care provider,” Dokoupil told someone off-camera.
“CBS Evening News” anchor Tony Dokoupil in April 2026. Alex Wong/Getty Images
The CBS Evening News live feed cut to reporter Matt Gutman in CBS’s Recent York City studio to elucidate what was happening.
“I’m going to log off for Tony Dokoupil who has been reporting in Taiwan,” Gutman, 48, announced to viewers. “We’re going to go to interrupt. We’ll be right back!”
Many viewers shared their concern because it was initially unclear what type of medical emergency was unfolding on the live shot from Taiwan.
“Really glad the CBS Evening News photojournalist is okay! Scary moment tonight throughout the last block,” one viewer tweeted on Wednesday, with one other adding, “There was a medical emergency throughout the CBS Evening News survive the East Coast. Hoping their crew member can be okay!”
Wednesday’s scary on-air incident occurred just five months into Dokoupil’s tenure because the lead anchor on the CBS Evening News, after he previously cohosted CBS Mornings. (Dokoupil replaced previous anchors Maurice DuBois and John Dickerson, who signed off in December 2025.)
“We live in a time during which many individuals have lost trust within the media. Tony Dokoupil is the person to win it back. That’s because he believes in old-school journalistic values: asking the hard questions, following the facts wherever they lead and holding power to account. Americans hungry for fairness will see that on display night after night,” Bari Weiss, CBS News’ editor-in-chief, announced in December 2025.
On the time of his promotion, Dokoupil said, “After 20 years in journalism, traveling through all 50 states and talking with people in lots of of far-flung American places, I realize why a rustic this big needs a show this ambitious. The strength of our nation is that we profit from fair reporting and the open discussion of all ideas. For greater than 60 years, the Evening News has been a bedrock of that process. I’m honored to hitch a fearless team at this vital moment, and with what I can promise is a commitment to trust and the plain truth.”