Acclaimed Irish filmmaker and photographer Ross McDonnell, 44, vanishes in New York City – with friends saying he hasn’t been seen for a week
- Emmy Award winner disappeared from his Brooklyn home on November 4
- Three days later his bicycle was fund chained up on the remote Fort Tilden Beach outside the city
A talented Irish film maker has left friends desperate for news after he disappeared from his New York home and his bike was found on a beach.
Emmy award winner Ross McDonnell, 44, was last spotted late on the night of Saturday, November 4 at Fort Tilden Beach near Roxbury, where his bicycle was found locked up three days later.
Friend Gene Gallerano, told The Irish Times that McDonnell appears to have been on the beach but ‘went out into the ocean’ before disappearing.
‘He was last seen last Saturday night. The alarm was sounded on Sunday. We don’t know much more than that,’ he added.
‘It’s been a very, very emotionally heavy week.’
Emmy award winning film maker Ross McDonnell has not been seen since leaving his home in Brooklyn, New York on the evening of Saturday, November 4
His bicycle was found three days later chained up at at Fort Tilden Beach near Roxbury
The talented photographer and film maker had worked extensively across the world including Afghanistan, Ukraine and Mexico
Originally from Dublin he won an Emmy Award in 2021 for his camera work on the Showtime series The Trade, and had been living in Taaffe Place near DeKalb Avenue in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, where he was last seen at about 8.30pm on November 4.
He had worked extensively across the world including Afghanistan, Ukraine and Mexico and was nominated for another Emmy in 2018 as director of the CNN Films documentary Elián.
Friends have pleaded for his return and started spreading the word on social media including one who described him as a ‘diamond who is in all our hearts’.
‘Ross and I worked together many times,’ wrote Eoin Butler on X, formerly Twitter.
‘He’s been missing for a week. We’ve been given the go ahead to share this image today. Anyone in New York area… please share.’
‘He is an incredible human and his disappearance has caused indescribable anguish amongst his friends and family,’ added Alexander Kellum.
McDonnell’s first feature film, Colony, debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival and won an Irish Film and Television Award Nomination.
He is also a talented photographer and was shortlisted for the world’s top photography award the Prix Pictet in 2019 for his work on the theme of ‘hope’.
He was wearing a red puffy Northface vest, black Northface backpack, black and white sneakers, and dark colored khaki pants when he disappeared.
The New York Police Department appealed for people who may have found his belongings to get in touch.
‘You are not in trouble if you picked up his belongings, we just want to locate ASAP for clues to his disappearance,’ they said.
McDonnell’s work as a cameraman, director and photographer has taken him across the world from Bolivia to Ukraine and Afghanistan to Mexico
He won an Emmy Award in 2021 for his camera work on the Showtime series The Trade, and was nominated for another in 2018 as director of the CNN Films documentary Elián
Friends have pleaded for his return and started spreading the word on social media
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