Samuel OakfordSamuel Oakford is a video reporter for The Washington Post's Visual Forensics team. Before joining The Post, he worked as a senior journalist at Storyful and a reporter for Vice News at the United Nations. He was also a reporter for the civilian harm monitor Airwars and conducted open source investigations for Bellingcat's Yemen Project. https://www.washingtonpost.comMon, 15 May 2023 03:38:01 +00001hourly1Alleged leaker fixated on guns and envisioned ‘race war’https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/05/13/jack-teixeira-discord-leaked-documents/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/05/13/jack-teixeira-discord-leaked-documents/Shane Harris, Samuel Oakford, Chris DehghanpoorSun, 14 May 2023 14:30:29 +0000Previously unpublished videos and documents reviewed by The Washington Post reveal Jack Teixeira’s preparations for a violent social conflict, his racist thinking and a deep suspicion of the government he served.Texas shooter’s diary charts decade-long path to violencehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/05/12/allen-texas-shooter-gunman-diary/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/05/12/allen-texas-shooter-gunman-diary/Razzan Nakhlawi, Hannah Allam, Samuel Oakford, Silvia Foster-FrauFri, 12 May 2023 20:09:50 +0000The shooter in the Allen, Tex., mass killing showed signs of extreme hate as far back as 2013, but his online postings don’t spell out a clear motive, analysts say.FBI leak investigators home in on members of private Discord server https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/04/21/discord-leak-fbi-investigation/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/04/21/discord-leak-fbi-investigation/Shane Harris, Samuel Oakford, Devlin BarrettFri, 21 Apr 2023 23:08:27 +0000Investigators have spoken to online friends of alleged leaker Jack Teixeira, who hung out with him in an online chatroom. Discord member details how documents leaked from closed chat grouphttps://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/04/12/discord-leaked-documents/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/04/12/discord-leaked-documents/Shane Harris, Samuel OakfordSun, 16 Apr 2023 16:34:51 +0000In interviews with a member of the Discord group where intelligence documents were shared, The Washington Post learned details of the alleged leaker, “OG.”Suspected leaker of top-secret Pentagon documents arrestedhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/04/13/suspect-pentagon-documents-leak/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/04/13/suspect-pentagon-documents-leak/Shane Harris, Samuel Oakford, Devlin Barrett, Perry SteinThu, 13 Apr 2023 23:22:57 +0000Officials say Jack Teixeira, a National Guard technology support staffer, is suspected of mishandling U.S. military security secrets.Authorities arrest suspected leaker of classified documents https://www.washingtonpost.comhttps://www.washingtonpost.comEllen Nakashima, Shane Harris, Samuel Oakford, Devlin BarrettThu, 13 Apr 2023 18:57:44 +0000Egypt secretly planned to supply rockets to Russia, leaked U.S. document sayshttps://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/04/10/egypt-weapons-russia/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/04/10/egypt-weapons-russia/Evan Hill, Missy Ryan, Siobhán O'Grady, Samuel OakfordTue, 11 Apr 2023 21:51:23 +0000President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi in February planned to produce 40,000 rockets for Russia and instructed officials to keep production and shipment secret “to avoid problems with the West.”U.S. doubts Ukraine counteroffensive will yield big gains, leaked document sayshttps://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/04/10/leaked-documents-ukraine-counteroffensive/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/04/10/leaked-documents-ukraine-counteroffensive/Alex Horton, John Hudson, Isabelle Khurshudyan, Samuel OakfordMon, 10 Apr 2023 22:02:04 +0000It is a marked departure from public statements about the vitality of Ukraine’s army and is likely to embolden critics calling for negotiations to end the war.Justice Dept. will investigate leak of classified Pentagon documentshttps://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/04/07/pentagon-leak-ukraine-documents/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/04/07/pentagon-leak-ukraine-documents/Dan Lamothe, Ellen Nakashima, Alex Horton, Dalton Bennett, Samuel Oakford, Evan HillSat, 08 Apr 2023 00:51:29 +0000The documents outline a wealth of information about the Ukrainian and Russian militaries, and include highly sensitive analyses about China and other nations. Fairfax officer to be fired over shooting of unarmed Black man near Tysonshttps://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/03/23/timothy-johnson-shooting-fairfax-police-officer-fired/https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/03/23/timothy-johnson-shooting-fairfax-police-officer-fired/Olivia Diaz, Samuel OakfordThu, 23 Mar 2023 22:08:02 +0000The announcement that a Fairfax police officer would be fired came during the release of body-cam footage of Timothy Johnson's fatal shooting near Tysons. Video shows Va. officer appearing to throw punches in Irvo Otieno’s cellhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/03/22/irvo-otieno-henrico-jail-video/https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/03/22/irvo-otieno-henrico-jail-video/Laura Vozzella, Salvador Rizzo, Samuel OakfordWed, 22 Mar 2023 23:29:57 +0000The video released Wednesday shows an encounter with Henrico County sheriff's deputies two hours before the 28-year-old died at Central State Hospital. Video shows Va. deputies pile on top of Irvo Otieno before his deathhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/03/20/irvo-otieno-video-virginia-deputies/https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/03/20/irvo-otieno-video-virginia-deputies/Salvador Rizzo, Laura Vozzella, Samuel OakfordWed, 22 Mar 2023 13:03:38 +0000As many as 10 sheriff’s deputies and medical staff at Virginia’s Central State Hospital can be seen piling on top of Irvo Otieno, according to new video.Video appears to show violent kidnapping of four Americans in Mexicohttps://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/03/06/americans-kidnapped-mexico-matamoros/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/03/06/americans-kidnapped-mexico-matamoros/Kevin Sieff, Samuel Oakford, Leo SandsMon, 06 Mar 2023 23:03:14 +0000Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said they had “crossed the border to buy medicine in Mexico” when they were caught in a crossfire “between groups.”Years of warnings and inaction in Turkish city destroyed by earthquakeshttps://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/03/02/turkey-earthquake-adiyaman-construction-destruction/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/03/02/turkey-earthquake-adiyaman-construction-destruction/Kareem Fahim, Zeynep Karatas, Samuel OakfordThu, 02 Mar 2023 17:27:50 +0000Adiyaman wasn't ready for a powerful quake, experts told the government. But little was done to protect residents in the city’s most vulnerable structures.See the earthquake’s total devastation through before and after imageshttps://www.washingtonpost.comhttps://www.washingtonpost.comJúlia Ledur, Samuel Oakford, Joe Snell, Yutao ChenWed, 08 Feb 2023 23:44:06 +0000See the earthquake’s total devastation through before and after imageshttps://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2023/turkey-syria-before-after-video-photo/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2023/turkey-syria-before-after-video-photo/Júlia Ledur, Samuel Oakford, Joe Snell, Yutao ChenWed, 08 Feb 2023 00:25:03 +0000Thousands of buildings in Turkey and Syria collapsed in minutes, killing and trapping the people inside. Lively neighborhoods were reduced to dust.Videos show flattened buildings in a Syrian townhttps://www.washingtonpost.comhttps://www.washingtonpost.comSamuel OakfordMon, 06 Feb 2023 08:10:51 +0000In Montana, residents recall seeing a mysterious object overheadhttps://www.washingtonpost.comhttps://www.washingtonpost.comSamuel OakfordFri, 03 Feb 2023 19:04:38 +0000‘I felt like we were in “Goodfellas’’’: How George Santos wooed investors for alleged Ponzi schemehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2023/01/25/george-santos-ponzi-scheme-harbor-city/https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2023/01/25/george-santos-ponzi-scheme-harbor-city/Jonathan O'Connell, Isaac Stanley-Becker, Emma Brown, Samuel OakfordWed, 25 Jan 2023 11:00:31 +0000Accounts gathered by The Post provide fresh insight into how Santos pitched Harbor City to investors, including a real estate agent who says he lost $50,000.Satellite images show crowds at China’s crematoriums as covid surgeshttps://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2023/01/09/china-crematorium-covid-deaths/https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2023/01/09/china-crematorium-covid-deaths/Samuel Oakford, Lily Kuo, Vic Chiang, Imogen Piper, Lyric LiMon, 09 Jan 2023 23:00:20 +0000An analysis of satellite images and videos finds a dramatic increase in activity at funeral homes, undermining Chinese claims that outbreaks are under control.After years with little covid, videos show China is now getting hit hardhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2022/12/27/videos-severe-china-covid/https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2022/12/27/videos-severe-china-covid/Christian Shepherd, Samuel Oakford, Stefanie Le, Vic ChiangTue, 27 Dec 2022 18:16:24 +0000Alarming videos of Chinese medical facilities offer a glimpse of the toll a huge coronavirus wave is wreaking — and undercut Beijing’s claim that the government is in control.From Jared Kushner to Salt Bae: Here’s who Elon Musk was seen with at the World Cuphttps://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2022/12/20/elon-musk-spotted-world-cup-final/https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2022/12/20/elon-musk-spotted-world-cup-final/Dalton Bennett, Samuel Oakford, Gerrit De Vynck, Monique WooWed, 21 Dec 2022 02:06:19 +0000Photos taken of Musk during the World Cup show him amid a group that included Jared Kushner, Qatari leaders and an Indian steelmaking magnate.America underwaterhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/interactive/2022/fema-flood-risk-maps-failures/https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/interactive/2022/fema-flood-risk-maps-failures/Samuel Oakford, John Muyskens, Sarah Cahlan, Joyce LeeTue, 06 Dec 2022 16:59:16 +0000A review of extreme flooding events this summer showed FEMA's flood maps are failing to fully inform Americans of flood risk in rural and urban areas.Ukraine live briefing: Zelensky hails ‘historic day’ as Ukrainian troops take city of Khersonhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/11/11/russia-ukraine-war-latest-updates/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/11/11/russia-ukraine-war-latest-updates/Erin Cunningham, Andrew Jeong, Victoria Bisset, Natalia Abbakumova, David Stern, Samuel Oakford, Adam Taylor, Praveena SomasundaramSat, 12 Nov 2022 01:28:51 +0000Russia said Friday that it had finished withdrawing its troops from the western bank of the Dnieper River in Kherson.Ukraine live briefing: Ukrainian troops advance on Kherson with caution; U.S. to send more air defenses https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/11/10/russia-ukraine-war-latest-updates/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/11/10/russia-ukraine-war-latest-updates/Erin Cunningham, Whitney Juckno, Victoria Bisset, Adela Suliman, Dan Lamothe, Adam Taylor, Samuel Oakford, Maham JavaidThu, 10 Nov 2022 23:53:53 +0000Ukraine's announcement comes after Russia said it will evacuate its troops from the strategic city of Kherson and its surrounding area.Here’s how the Seoul Halloween crush happenedhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/10/29/where-how-seoul-itaewon-stampede/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/10/29/where-how-seoul-itaewon-stampede/Joyce Lee, Samuel Oakford, Adam Taylor, Tim MekoSun, 30 Oct 2022 20:55:19 +0000The crush in Seoul happened in the Itaewon neighborhood. Videos reveal a timeline of how the tragedy unfolded.Hour-by-hour analysis shows toll of county’s delay before Hurricane Ianhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/10/14/lee-county-hurricane-ian-evacuation-timeline/https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/10/14/lee-county-hurricane-ian-evacuation-timeline/Antonio Olivo, Derek Hawkins, Samuel Oakford, Scott DanceFri, 14 Oct 2022 14:57:01 +0000A Washington Post analysis of weather advisories, emergency notifications and interviews paints a stark picture of confusion on the ground as Ian approached Florida's Lee County.Videos show Russians protesting, fleeing military mobilization https://www.washingtonpost.comhttps://www.washingtonpost.comSarah Cahlan, Samuel Oakford, Imogen Piper, Mary Ilyushina, Ruby Mellen, Natalia AbbakumovaFri, 30 Sep 2022 06:00:06 +0000Russians rebel as Putin drafts more people in battle for Ukrainehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/09/29/russia-putin-mobilization-protests-fury/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/09/29/russia-putin-mobilization-protests-fury/Sarah Cahlan, Samuel Oakford, Imogen Piper, Mary Ilyushina, Ruby Mellen, Natalia AbbakumovaThu, 29 Sep 2022 15:18:31 +0000From Dagestan to Moscow to Siberia, dissent has been documented in videos from across Russia since Putin's mobilization announcement on Sept. 21.Here’s what Russian soldiers left behind when they withdrew from Izyum https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2022/09/13/russia-retreat-abandoned-weapons-izyum/https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2022/09/13/russia-retreat-abandoned-weapons-izyum/Samuel Oakford, Alex HortonTue, 13 Sep 2022 23:18:39 +0000Videos verified by The Washington Post show the equipment Russian troops left behind as they retreated from Izyum, a strategic city southeast of Kharkiv.‘Ammo! Ammo!’ Video shows close combat in Ukraine offensive.https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/09/10/ukraine-combat-videos-us-weapons/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/09/10/ukraine-combat-videos-us-weapons/Alex Horton, Samuel OakfordSat, 10 Sep 2022 21:28:55 +0000First-person videos verified by The Post offer a rare glimpse of tense fighting in a war largely defined by long-range artillery.At least six explosions hit Crimea air base in nearly an hour https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2022/08/14/crimea-airbase-attack/https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2022/08/14/crimea-airbase-attack/Samuel Oakford, Joyce LeeSun, 14 Aug 2022 18:22:07 +0000The Post analyzed videos, spoke to witnesses and consulted experts, confirming that at least six explosions rocked the air base in the span of almost an hour.What we know about the blast that killed Ukrainian POWs in Olenivka https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/08/06/olenivka-prison-explosion-ukraine-russia/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/08/06/olenivka-prison-explosion-ukraine-russia/Joyce Lee, Samuel Oakford, Claire Parker, Mary IlyushinaSat, 06 Aug 2022 22:14:47 +0000A Washington Post review of satellite imagery, videos, and interviews with former detainees and experts raises questions about the Russian claim that a Ukrainian HIMARS-launched attack killed at least 50 people at a prison on the outskirts of Olenivka on July 29.