Man Who Attacked Former Flint Journalist Apologizes [UPDATE]

"Pressing charges would've further complicated his life."

Last weekend, a former Flint news reporter and her cameraman were attacked, unprovoked, by a complete stranger while they were filming a story.

Caresse Jackman worked for ABC-12 a few years ago here in Genesee County as a reporter; she then moved to New Orleans and now works at a station in Nashville.

She posted the above and below videos to her Facebook page after the attack.

While shooting video for a feature story, a man from across the street kept looking at our crew. We never said a word to him. I got out of the car to record my intro. He started to approach me. My photog tried to get his attention so he wouldn't come my way. The man then attacked us. My fellow journalists, please be safe out there.

Many people assumed that the man was attacking them because of their roles in the media; the Nashville police were able to locate him and it turns out that he had been drinking too much.

Caresse's coworker has decided not to press charges and released the following statement on social media:

We absolutely LOVE that they took pity on this man and didn't press charges and, instead, got him the help that he needed. None of us know what another person is going through, personally or professionally, and not everything is as black-and-white as we'd like it to be.

"Be kind, for everybody is fighting a battle that you know nothing about."