Los Angeles, CA – The Black Journalists Association of Southern California and NABJ joins the Los Angeles and national journalism community in mourning the untimely death of ABC7 Eyewitness News photojournalist Artie Williams III.

Williams was a beloved colleague and respected competitor. He also mentored countless aspiring broadcasters during his 30-plus year career at KABC. Artie, as he was widely known, quietly gave back to the community in a host of ways including his recent presentation to teen scholars at LA’s Urban Media Foundation.

Williams greeted everyone with kindness and compassion. He was often the man behind the camera and behind the wheel as admirers noted “there goes that news van again!”.

“Artie shot many of the press events that I was involved with. I was always struck by his passion and dedication to his craft,” says Earl Ofari Hutchinson, President, The Black Journalists Association of Southern California.

“He was a true consummate professional. And equally important, he was a tremendous role model for African-Americans in broadcast news.”

We express our sincere condolences to his family. But we are secure in the knowledge that the powerful legacy that Artie left, namely his passion for his craft and professionalism, will continue to be a solid model of achievement and success for future minority photojournalists to emulate.