KXRM, the Fox affiliate in Colorado Springs, Co., will not name the two teenagers who carried out the mass shooting at the STEM school earlier this week.
Fox 21 news director Joe Cole put out a message on Twitter explaining the station’s stance.
Here is his statement:
After some deliberation, we here at FOX21 News are taking a stance against showing pictures of the alleged shooters from Tuesday’s shooting at the STEM school in Highlands Ranch.
We will mention their names Wednesday in our broadcasts and online as part of our journalistic duty, but going forward, we will simply refer to them as the accused shooters.
We will not show their pictures at any time either online or in our broadcast. Instead, our focus will be on the victims of this horrible crime.
We understand not everyone will agree with this decision, but it is one we feel strongly about.
The alleged shooters don’t deserve over-the-top media attention.
With that said, we will keep our viewers and readers up to speed on the trial process as the justice system moves forward.
18-year-old student Devon Erickson and 16-year-old Alec McKinney were formerly charged Wednesday. One student was killed, others injured.
The shooting happened just miles from where the Columbine massacre occurred 20 years ago.
We are taking a stance here @FOX21News on the #STEMShooting – below is why. pic.twitter.com/pheYIK4jPT
— Joe Cole (@JoeColeFOX21) May 8, 2019