Live TV Glitch: Reporter Meets Jonestown Enthusiast At Rally

A Fox News correspondent on the ground for a midterm campaign rally in South Carolina was caught off guard by an attendee's unexpected connection to a famous 1978 tragedy.

On Thursday morning, Lucas Y. Tomlinson was reporting live as President Donald Trump campaigned for Republican Sen. Darline Graham. The race is currently tight, with Democrat Annie Andrews challenging Graham in a heated contest. Tomlinson selected a man named Tom to explain his reasons for attending the event.

Tom stated that he was too young in the late 1970s to travel to South America for the Jonestown Massacre. He said this rally was the closest he would ever get to the event. The man described the situation with a straight face, indicating that this proximity was the primary motivation for his attendance.

Tomlinson verified that the attendee was indeed referring to the mass murder-suicide led by Jim Jones in 1978. The event resulted in the deaths of 918 of Jones' disciples. Tom confirmed the reference, adding that there is nothing like seeing a cult up front.

The reporter quickly ended the segment, turning to the camera to note that the man might not be a typical Trump supporter. He then moved on to interview other attendees near the rally site.

The incident occurred during a morning event designed to support Graham, the sister of late Sen. Lindsey Graham. The live broadcast captured the exchange without any apparent editing or prior warning to the audience.