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Dallas Police Chief Calls Out Stations After 2 Report Shots Fired at Police HQ

By Kevin Eck 

Dallas Police Chief David Brown took time out of his press conference this afternoon to scold local TV stations for inaccurate reporting over the weekend and for putting social media before safety.

“When reporters say there are shots fired, irresponsibly, when they did not hear any shots fired and no one else heard any shots fired, that puts our officers at risk,” said Brown. “It’s the most irresponsible thing a reporter can do is say shots fired when they didn’t hear it. And if you heard it and you’re near an officer, tell the officer. Don’t tweet it.”

On Saturday, all the local stations were live in front of the Dallas Police Headquarters after police received anonymous threats that a group of armed men from Houston were heading their way. Two stations, Fox-owned KDFW and TEGNA’s ABC affiliate WFAA, told viewers shots had been fired inside the Dallas Police building.

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WFAA anchor Jason Wheeler told viewers at 5:46 p.m. and KDFW reporter Allison Harris, along with anchor Richard Ray told viewers at 5:54 p.m.

“Hey Rich,” KDFW’s Harris told Ray. “We do have sources that just told us that shots have been fired, that there has been a shooting here.”

“Rebecca Lopez moving to take cover,” said WFAA’s Wheeler over video from inside the station’s moving news truck. “As we understand it, shots have been fired at or around Dallas police headquarters at this hour.”

None of the reporters on scene, including Harris, said they heard gunfire.

KDFW also tweeted viewers there were reports of shots fired:

This is from Fox’s Phoenix station KSAZ:

The clarification and denial from DPD:

A source sent TVSpy a push notification from both KDFW and the Dallas Morning News.
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