Amanda Pitts is a reporter for NBC Connecticut and can be seen on the weekday early evening newscasts. She joined the team in the fall of 2023.
A native of southern New England, Amanda was born in Taunton, Massachusetts, but grew up in the East Bay of Rhode Island. She has a passion for breaking news and sharing people’s stories.
She started her career in news in 2016 as an assignment desk editor for ABC6 in Providence and began on-air reporting in 2017 at Fox 40 in Binghamton, New York. In 2018, Amanda moved back to Rhode Island and worked as a reporter at ABC6 for three years and at WPRI 12 for the last two years.
During her five years in Providence, Amanda covered some of the biggest stories in the state, including the riot in downtown Providence, the Nathan Carman insurance trial, blizzards, hurricanes and tornadoes, and every aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic – from the initial lockdown to vaccine rollouts. Amanda also shed light on the issue of sexual assault in the military with an investigation into an alleged sexual assault within the Rhode Island National Guard which was a part of a station-wide Edward R. Murrow award for overall excellence.
In her spare time, Amanda likes to travel and try new restaurants, spend time with friends, family, and her cat Opie, and sing in her a cappella chorus.
The Latest
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Video appears to show union members block entrance to Pratt & Whitney as strike continues
Union workers at Pratt & Whitney have been on strike for nearly three weeks, and on Thursday, talks resume at the bargaining table. Amid the strike, a video has surfaced online that appears to show union workers blocking the entrance on Aircraft Road to the plant in Middletown. It’s unclear who the men are or when the video was...
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Southington teens go viral for act of kindness at Hartford Hospital
A video of an act of kindness at Hartford Hospital is going viral on TikTok. Liliana Vera and Evan Jekubovich, seniors at Southington High School, spent a date night in April making other people’s day. “I saw a TikTok that was like similar, and we had nothing to do, and I really wanted to do it as our four-month...
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Coalition of parents, teachers call on city to better fund Hartford Public Schools amid cuts
As the search continues in Hartford for a new superintendent, a grassroots organization is calling on city leaders to do more to get funding for the struggling district. The Fight for Hartford Public Schools Coalition held a press conference Tuesday, sandwiched in between two town halls held by the district. The town halls are being held to get the...
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West Haven approves $250 fines for late-night solicitors
People in West Haven are complaining of solicitors knocking on their doors late at night and multiple times a day. Mayor Dorinda Borer said she’s received multiple complaints, and even got a Ring doorbell camera video from a resident showing a solicitor showing up on their doorstep at 10 p.m. “I had gotten a call from one gentleman who...
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Police warn of online child exploitation network ‘764' that victimized Vernon girl
Police are warning parents of an online child exploitation network that goes by the name “764.” Predators befriend children using online messaging and gaming platforms, according to investigators, and coerce them into violent acts. Back in late 2023 and early 2024, police said the international group victimized a teenage girl in Vernon, which resulted in multiple swatting calls to local…
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Multiple Connecticut high schools evacuated over Chromebook TikTok trend
A concerning trend filling classrooms with toxic smoke is gaining traction on TikTok, and it’s led to the evacuations of some schools in Connecticut.
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North Haven police officer credits his 9-year-old daughter with saving his life
A North Haven police officer credits his 9-year-old daughter with saving his life after he went into cardiac arrest. Officer Alex Sinanis said he started feeling off back in November of last year and made several trips to the hospital. “I started getting tightness in my chest the beginning of November, some shortness of breath,” Sinanis said. “I had a…
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ICE makes arrest in front of Middletown courthouse
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers made an arrest outside of the courthouse in Middletown on Tuesday and the city is working to learn additional details about the arrest. The mayor said an unmarked black SUV arrived at the courthouse and several city employees witnessed a team of people get out. According to the city employees, some of the...
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Man accused of killing 70-year-old former mother-in-law in Trumbull charged with murder
A man who is accused of following his 70-year-old former mother-in-law home from a mall and killing her with a baseball bat outside her Trumbull apartment has been charged with murder. Police said Ylli Shtopaku, 45, of Norwalk, attacked 70-year-old Lida Shape, outside the Ten-Trumbull apartment complex after she returned home with an acquaintance on Monday afternoon. Shtopaku told police…
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Vigil held for second grader and mom killed in Norwich house fire
After a house fire took the life of a mother and daughter in Norwich earlier this month, the 8-year-old’s school community came together to honor them. A vigil was held outside Huntington Elementary School on Monday night, where dozens of teachers, students and their families lit candles and shared memories of 8-year-old Skylynn Owens. “Skylynn was a valued member...
