John Lobertini fends off an angry mob. (Screen grab from Fox 40.)

Former KPIX reporter John Lobertini, now with KTXL-TV Fox 40 in Sacramento, and camerawoman Rebecca Little were assaulted by an ugly mob Sunday as they were covering a gang shooting that had happened the day before outside an IHOP in the Sacramento suburb of Natomas.

In an unusual turn of events, a memorial to the shooting victim outside the IHOP was vandalized overnight and Fox 40 said it received the following e-mail:

I just want it to be known that this wasn’t some sort of gang-retaliation. It was because of the scum that attacked your reporters and nothing was-has been done. And I will keep doing it until they are arrested.

Police say that they won’t investigate the assault unless either Lobertini or Little file a police complaint.

Lobertini was laid off by KPIX CBS 5 on March 31, 2008 along with Manny Ramos, Tony Russomanno, Bill Schechner and Rick Quan in a cost-cutting move ordered by management in New York. Schechner and Lombertini unsuccessfully sued the station for age and sex discrimination.

Fox 40’s coverage of the attack:

 

Another angle of the confrontation shot by KXTV Channel 10 ABC: