Brian Shields, KRON 4 Digital Manager, Dies At 53 Copyright by KRON - All rights reserved Video

SAUSALITO (KRON) -- Brian Shields, a valued member of the KRON 4 News team for over a decade, has died. He was 53.

Shields passed away at his home in Sausalito.

In his ten years as digital manager and editor at KRON, Shields�?cutting-edge multimedia reporting helped build KRON4.com into one of the most prominent news sites in the Bay Area. He succeeded in producing interactive web stories and breaking news with speed and accuracy.

"He was instrumental in making KRON4.com the great site that it is today,�?said Ashley Messina, general manager at KRON.

Shields' lifelong passion for journalism was evident in his news reporting and feature story writing. He was known for sharing his more than 30 years of newsroom experience to mentor staff in areas including broadcast news and web production.

Shields got his first journalism job as a radio reporter covering the Dallas Cowboys after graduating from the College of Media Arts at the University of North Texas.

Outside of the newsroom, Shields was an ardent fan of the Oakland A's but was an even bigger fan of heavy metal music. He had no formal musical training but was well versed in the genre's techniques and composition.

He was recently named weekend editor at the Heavy Blog Is Heavy, a blog featuring metal news, reviews, and interviews. His work was widely popular with followers and musicians; he often hosted bands at his home whenever their tour stopped in the Bay Area.

His affinity for puns, quick wit, and self-deprecating humor were hallmarks of his character.

"Brian was a beloved character in our newsroom, he will be greatly missed by the entire staff," said KRON 4 News Director Aaron Pero.