Thread by @elliottyoungpdx

1- The recent mass shooting in Portland raises the issue of the way the police routinely misinform the public and how some media outlets uncritically parrot the framing of the police. This is not just a matter of "semantics" as Chief Lovell has claimed.

2- Labelling shooter as a "homeowner" made it seem like the protestors had trespassed or confronted the shooter on his property. This is completely untrue. It is not only that the shooter was not a homeowner, but the impact of that label in framing the event that is dangerous.

3- When @Oregonian reporter @shanedkavanaugh
denied the paper had ever used the "homeowner" descriptor in a DM to me, he asked me to publicly acknowledge my mistake, which I did, believing I was wrong. It turns out the paper used the "homeowner" language in its headline.

@Oregonian @shanedkavanaugh 4- Other media outlets across the country echoed this false narrative including @USATODAY and @CNN. Even after it has been made clear that the shooter was not a homeowner, none of these outlets have publicly acknowledged their participation in spreading misinformation.

5- While we must all give grace to each other to make mistakes, when your mistake is pointed out, you should acknowledge it and put processes in place to make sure it doesn't happen again. The damage has already been done by @Oregonian and other news outlets.

6- One would think that journalists, who are supposed to be professional skeptics, would pause before swallowing the police rendition of events, especially after being lied to repeatedly. Journalists are crucial to a democracy, and they have a responsibility to being truthful.

7- I hope the @Oregonian will acknowledge the harm it did and learn from its mistakes. We need journalism, but most importantly we need journalists who are willing to ask tough questions of authorities and not serve uncritically as mouthpieces of government misinformation.