Rioters in Charlotte attempted to throw a photographer into a fire they started, a local news station reported Wednesday night.

WCCB said in a tweet at 10:48 p.m. that its reporters witnessed “protesters” attempting to burn the photographer.

The statement was repeated by reporter Marvin Beach on WCCB’s livestream of the riots, who said the station’s photographer witnessed the attack. It’s unclear why the effort failed, but WCCB’s livestream later captured police providing assistance to the photographer, indicating he was rescued without suffering grievous harm.

The photographer in question was white, raising the possibility he may have been targeted for racial reasons by mostly-black rioters.

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory has declared a state of emergency in the city, so that National Guard can be deployed to assist police in quelling the riots.

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