CNN's Aaron Brown Dead At 76

Aaron Brown, the veteran CNN anchor known for his coverage of the Sept. 11 attacks, died Sunday. He was 76.

Brown's family confirmed his passing with CNN, but did not disclose a cause of death.

A Minnesota native, Brown attended the University of Minnesota before dropping out and joining the U.S. Coast Guard reserves. His broadcast career began as a radio host in Minneapolis, and later took him to Los Angeles. He eventually landed in Seattle, where he worked for 15 years at various local TV stations (including CBS and NBC affiliates) before he was hired as a founding anchor for ABC's overnight news program, World News Now. He also anchored ABC's World News Tonight Saturday throughout the 1990s.

In 2001, Brown left ABC News for CNN, and made his on-air debut during the 9/11 attacks. His coverage earned him the coveted Edward R. Murrow Award, which honors outstanding achievements in electronic journalism.

Following his 9/11 coverage, Brown served as host of CNN's NewsNight. He was the recipient of three Emmys, including one for his report "Streets of Iraq," which was broadcast at the height of the Iraq War. He left CNN in 2005, and later served as host of PBS' Wide Angle (2008-09).

Anderson Cooper, whose nightly program Anderson Cooper 360° replaced Brown's NewsNight, remembers Brown as "a great writer and broadcaster," telling CNN that he was "thoughtful, funny, and diligent," and "had a truly unique talent and a beautiful way with words."