You saw good examples of mass shooting and active shooter journalism. Here are some not-so-good examples:
WABC-TV New York: “3 Connected to San Bernardino mass shooting gunman arrested”
The original headline of this story contained the name of the shooter. The original lead image was a photo of the shooter.
KSL.com Salt Lake City: “2 Highland High students arrested for threatening school shooting“
Story is a bit fear-mongering and does not provide information to keep the community safe. Neither student had access to weapons, something which was not mentioned until the end of the story, which also describes the plot as a “misguided prank.” It also relies upon a single source and a police statement.
WINK-TV Ft. Myers, Fla.: “Man, woman found dead following Port Charlotte murder-suicide“
Story begins as a crime brief, but rapidly descends into a play-by-play of this active shooter situation. It relies on eye witnesses who in quoted statements impeach their own credibility. It also relies on unnamed “witnesses” to characterize the sequence of events.
Chicago Patch: “Transgender Restroom Protest at Target Prompts ‘Active Shooter’ Report“
The article’s largest sin is its tone, which could be described as whimsical. It refers to the potential active shooter threat as “a ruckus” and on multiple occasions makes light of the law enforcement response and fear felt by clients and employees.
Mass Shooting Journalism 