
Image source: Twitter/@NYPost
A number of newspapers and media outlets were heavily criticized early Friday for their Dallas shooting headlines, which some readers called "irresponsible," "awful" and "shameful."
"CIVIL WAR" the New York Post's front page blared. "Four cops killed at anti-police protest"
A subheading on the New York Post cover continued, "At least four cops were shot and killed and seven others wounded in Dallas last night as protests over the police slayings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota rocked cities nationwide, including New York."
Friday's cover: 4 cops killed in Dallas tragedy https://t.co/NpUskqqtLt pic.twitter.com/tlqx0P721y
— New York Post (@nypost) July 8, 2016
Five officers have now been confirmed dead, and 12 shot in the downtown Dallas shooting.
As facts were still coming in late Thursday night and into Friday night, many on Twitter pointed out the potential inaccuracy of the headline.
@nypost That seems like race baiting. No evidence protesters had anything to do with attacks on police
— Mama's Got A Gun (@MamasGotAGun) July 8, 2016
.@nypost This is insanely irresponsible. Nothing has been confirmed; the stand-off is still ongoing. Please change this cover by tomorrow
— Jamie Pastore (@jamiepastore) July 8, 2016
Others blasted the right-leaning publication, calling its headline "irresponsible," "awful" and "shameful."
@nypost pretty irresponsible headline.
— Christopher Ridley (@SFviaNJ) July 8, 2016
@nypost awful and totally irresponsible headline
— K Mitch (@snozztastic) July 8, 2016
@nypost This is one of the most irresponsible headlines I have ever seen a news organization put out. This is fucking shameful.
— Charlie (@notcharchar)July 8, 2016
The Drudge Report was similarly criticized for its initial headline early Friday, which read, in part, "Black Lives Kill."
drudge, still trash. pic.twitter.com/Bj46SmwVyd
— Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner) July 8, 2016
Drudge Report headline about the Dallas shooting is even grosser than you'd expect. https://t.co/dKOAFGJDFE via @slate
— Bo Snerdley (@BoSnerdley) July 8, 2016
This is so incredibly irresponsible. Believe it or not, some people use this as primary news. Millions, actually. https://t.co/vv93f8j8tR
— stuart stevens (@stuartpstevens) July 8, 2016
Uncharacteristic of Drudge, the headline was later taken down and replaced with a somewhat less provocative description.
The New York Daily News also came under fire for its headline, which began with "MADNESS."
"Snipers shoot 11 cops — killing 4 — at police brutality protest in Dallas," the Daily News headline continued.
Today's front page: MADNESS -- Snipers shoot cops at police brutality protest in Dallas https://t.co/JuqjVp01SZ pic.twitter.com/t2KoXRTECC
— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) July 8, 2016
One user likened the cover to that of the New York Post cover, calling both "unhelpful."
The cover was published just one day after the New York Daily News ran an extremely graphic front page image on Thursday showing 37-year-old Alton Sterling dead on the ground in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, blood pouring from his chest.
The publication planned to run a different cover before news of the Dallas shooting broke. It showed a young, black child with arms wrapped around an individual wearing a backward cap. The headline read, simply, "Am I next, Daddy?"
Powerful NY Daily News cover tomorrow: pic.twitter.com/USH00gZLfr
— Mohamad Bazzi (@BazziNYU) July 8, 2016
That cover was also criticized for "fanning the flames" still just hours after the deaths of two black men at the hands of white officers.
(H/T: Mediaite)
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