I don't see anyone "quoting" an investigator. Here's what the story says, no "quotes" to show it as a direct quote from anyone.
East Feliciana Parish Sheriff's Office officials say they believe an 8-year-old intentionally pulled the trigger and killed an elderly woman Thursday evening right after playing 'Grand Theft Auto IV'.
Does "intentionally" apply to "pulled the trigger" while "killed and elderly woman" is a consequence. Or did the investigators actually say this. Is the fact that this article has no specific quotes from any law enforcement representative an attempt to turn this event and the child in the center of it into something neither is?
The article goes on to say this:
"In a release from the Sheriff's Office, it says although the child initially told investigators that he accidentally shot Smothers while playing with a firearm, the investigation has led them to believe the child intentionally shot her. Smothers was shot in the back of the head while she was in the living room watching television."
I can absolutely see where the 8yo, after playing that game and then discovering the gun might intentionally use the gun in the manner displayed in the game. But that doesn't imply intent to kill, and the release apparently doesn't say that either, according to the article.
This is either sloppily written or intentionally sensationalized. I'm guessing both.
As I said, it's an abomination to journalism.
There are so many holes - holes one can easily assume intentionally left to create a sensation. Were there any witnesses? Can someone not be accidentally shot in the back of the head? Does no one on the force have an 8yo child and the ability to understand how an 8yo mind works? Will an 8yo tell the same story twice in the exact same way? Are they interrogating this poor child? Were child psychologists involved? Were his parents present when he was questioned?
Here's the only quote from the press release:
"By accounts of relatives of the victim, as well as friends of the family, the victim and the juvenile had a normal, loving, relationship." "Although a motive for the shooting is unknown at this time investigators have learned that the juvenile suspect was playing a video game on the Play Station III "Grand Theft Auto IV"
As someone has already said, why isn't the subject of this article the fact that someone let an 8yo near a loaded gun, not to mention GTA? Why isn't this reported as a terrible tragedy for a multi-generational family living on the economic bleeding-edge in a mobile home park in Louisiana, whose neighborhood is probably no place for an 8yo to grow up in (hence the loaded gun)? Why must the child be portrayed as a monster?
If this terrible event happened in a McMansion in a fancy white neighborhood, would the newspaper have even covered it? And if they did, I've got a Franklin that says they would have been all sympathy and tears.
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