Acclaimed Editor Karen Schmeer Killed in Tragic NYC Incident

Karen Schmeer. Photo by Garret Savage, via AJ Schnack.

Karen Schmeer, winner of the Sundance Film Festival's editing award last year for "Sergio," and a longtime editor with Errol Morris, died last night in New York City. She was hit by a car that was fleeing the scene of a burglary on Manhattan's Upper West Side.

In addition to her work on Errol Morris' "Standard Operating Procedure" (co-editor), "The Fog of War," "Mr. Death" and "Fast Cheap and Out of Control," Karen Schmeer also edited Sidney Pollack's "Sketches of Frank Gehry," Robb Moss' "The Same River Twice," and Lucia Small's "My Father, The Genius." She also edited Neil Abramson's "American Son." Her entire credits are available on IMDb.

On Twitter today, Morris called Schmeer's death a, "senseless tragedy."

Greg Barker, director of "Sergio" from last year's Sundance Film Festival, is on the jury at Sundance this year and is expected to pay tribute to Schmeer at tonight's festival awards ceremony.

Schmeer was currently working on a documentary with filmmaker Liz Garbus.

AJ Schnack has additional coverage on his blog, All These Wonderful Things.

The team at indieWIRE express deep condolences to Karen's family and friends. We will update this story as we get more information. We invite comments or memories to be posted in the comments section below.

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3 Comments

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buddhistgirl | January 31, 2010Reply

Condolences for your loss to Karen's family in Portland, Oregon. She is at peace and I hope you can find yours after the senselessness of this crime. Your loss is huge...peace and love. Liza
dwnugent19 | January 31, 2010Reply

Karen was a friend to me upon my arrival in NYC years ago. She, like I, came to this city from Boston and we felt a certain kinship. She was kind, funny, smart and sweet...everything that a new transplant to a big city treasures in a friend. That she died last night, on my street in this big city, in such a thoughtless and hollow way, is devastating. My thoughts go out to her friends and family. David Nugent
tom hall | January 31, 2010Reply

Horrible news and a tragic loss. Words fail.