Fox News’ Peter Doocy was outside the White House on May 1, 2011 with a mob of overjoyed Americans, celebrating the death of Osama bin Laden.
Three and a half years later, Doocy, 27, is the journalist who will interview Robert O’Neill — the Navy SEAL who shot and killed Osama bin Laden — for the first time on-camera.
“We ended up meeting for the first time at an Irish pub in Pentagon City, which is just outside of Washington, D.C.,” Doocy told TheWrap about his first time meeting O’Neill. The two were introduced through a third party Doocy chooses not to reveal, and their journalist/source relationship continued to grow.
“We cultivated other sources to make sure Robert O’Neill’s version of the story was the right version,” Doocy said. “Everything that we have heard from other sources who are very familiar with the details of that raid have told us that Rob is the guy — he’s the last person who saw bin Laden alive.”
Doocy knows all too well what an uphill climb it is for a young journalist to land one of the most sought after interviews this decade. Fox News VP of development, John Finley, notes the legwork Doocy put in.
“At some point in their careers, all name brand talent had a big break to get where they are,” Finley, who executive produced the special, told TheWrap. “Peter did the work and developed the relationship with Rob that secured this interview. Hopefully this will be his big break.”
Doocy says the special, which airs on Fox News Tuesday and Wednesday nights at 10p.mET, will reveal information never previously reported while also addressing separate individuals who claim to have shot the bullets that killed the terror leader.
The shooter also touches on the media — and Hollywood’s — depiction of the infamous raid on bin Laden’s compound, setting the record on fact and fiction.
“When it came to the actual taping, Peter was as well prepared as any anchor I have ever seen,” Finley added.
“I have been working on this for a long time. Honestly, it’s a career highlight for me; I’m just lucky to be the one here who gets to share the story.”