US news sources on Sunday reported that a Colorado man, Patrick Thomas Egan, is accused of attacking a TV reporter in an alleged bias-motivated assault, referencing former President Donald Trump's political rhetoric.

The incident took place in Grand Junction, where Egan was arrested on December 18 on suspicion of second-degree assault, harassment, and bias-motivated crimes.

Egan, 39, is scheduled to appear in court on January 2 to determine if formal charges will be filed.

According to police, Egan followed the car of KKCO/KJCT reporter Ja'Ronn Alex, who was on assignment at the time. Alex, who is of Pacific Islander descent, told authorities he believed he was targeted due to his ethnicity.

An arrest affidavit detailed that Egan, arriving by taxi, pulled up next to Alex at a stoplight and asked, "Are you even a US citizen? This is Trump's America now! I'm a Marine and I took an oath to protect this country from people like you!"

The affidavit further described how Egan tackled Alex, placed him in a headlock, and “began to strangle him." Witnesses said Alex appeared to struggle to breathe during the attack, prompting co-workers to intervene. The assault was captured on surveillance footage.

Press perils

This incident occurs amid heightened hostility toward journalists in the US. The Freedom of the Press Foundation reported a 70% increase in assaults on journalists this year, with 75 recorded since January 1st.

Trump, who often referred to the media as "the enemy of the people" during his first term, continues to deploy similar rhetoric as he eyes a return to the presidency following November's election victory.

Read more: Trump's transition ratings improve from 2016, still fall behind peers

Surveys by the International Women's Media Foundation revealed that 36% of journalists undergoing safety training reported threats or physical violence, while 28% reported legal threats.

Despite these challenges, a City University of London survey found that nearly a quarter of Americans, particularly Republicans, do not see political attacks on the press as a threat to press freedom.