A reporter's reaction to the shooting near the White House went viral on social media
NBC News reporter Julie Zirkin found herself in the middle of a chaotic situation while preparing for a live broadcast near the White House in Washington, D.C., when gunshots suddenly rang out nearby.
The journalist’s natural and emotional reaction to the danger instantly went viral online.
Social media users began sharing the clip en masse and creating numerous humorous videos.
The unusual incident was captured by a camera crew working at a government site in the U.S. capital. The footage was promptly published on the media outlet’s official YouTube channel.
The released video clearly shows the reporter calmly folding her umbrella and getting ready to work on camera when the silence was suddenly broken by loud, unfamiliar sounds.
The cameraman continued filming the scene, and Zirkin began to say, “What is that?” The cameraman then replied that the sounds “sounded like fireworks,” while the journalist kept repeating the same phrase—“What is that?”
This moment was accompanied by Julie Tsyrkin’s characteristic facial expressions, and it was precisely this reaction that won over users.
The reporter’s genuine surprise and bewilderment sparked a massive wave of user-generated content across the online community.
The journalist’s funny facial expression quickly transformed into a popular online meme used to describe various life surprises.
The video went viral on social media, and users began creating humorous videos featuring the journalist’s reaction.
A shooting occurred near the White House; the attacker was shot dead by Secret Service agents
Prior to this, on May 18, a shooting occurred at the Islamic Center of San Diego, the largest mosque in the county, resulting in fatalities. The incident also ended with the death of the attackers. Law enforcement is currently investigating the circumstances of the incident and the motives behind the shooting. The scene is under heavy police surveillance.
