Ohio State assistant professor on leave after campus confrontation

An Ohio State University faculty member has been placed on leave after striking an independent journalist who was attempting an on campus interview.

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Mike Newman was attempting to interview former university president Gordon Gee in the hallway of the chase center for civics, culture, and society, that’s when Assistant professor Luke Perez steps in front of the cameraman and swats a piece of equipment out of Newmans left hand and swings his right hand at the cameraman head.

Newman said “I feared for my life in the moment, it happened so quick, in the moment afterwards, I was full of adrenaline, so I didn’t feel much. My jaw was hurting, my neck was a little sore, but after the adrenaline wore off, it felt like I got into a car accident” Newman said he was shooting a mini documentary about another independent journalist, who was trying to interview Gee about the Strauss sex abuse scandal.

According to Ohio State spokesperson Ben Johnson, Perez was placed on leave the following day.