Justin Schecker reports for WFLA News Channel 8 at 11 p.m. and can be followed on Twitter @WFLAJustin for Tampa Bay and Florida news updates throughout the day.

Since joining the WFLA news team in December 2019, Justin has extensively covered the COVID-19 pandemic and its many impacts on the Sunshine State. Prior to the first reported cases in Florida, he profiled the journey home for a Citrus County couple following the coronavirus outbreak on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan in February 2020.

Justin reported from Surfside on the deadly June 2021 condo building collapse and from Palm Beach County on Inauguration Day as former President Trump arrived at Mar-A-Lago.

During his first two years in Tampa, Justin has interviewed Joseph Petito about the search for his missing daughter, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki and the first COVID-19 patient at Tampa General Hospital to receive Regeneron’s monoclonal antibody treatment.

Justin enjoyed contributing to WFLA’s coverage of the Buccaneers winning Super Bowl LV and the Lightning’s back-to-back Stanley Cup Final victories.

With a decade of storytelling and broadcast journalism experience, Justin has reported for TV news stations in Connecticut, Arizona and Michigan.

Justin is a proud graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. He grew up in Maryland near Washington, D.C. The MDDC Press Association recognized Justin as the 2008 Michael S. Powell High School Journalist of the Year.

Feel free to send news tips/story ideas to jschecker@wfla.com.