Chicago cops who shot Dexter Reed say he fired first. How media told the story.

[KARAH RUCKER]

THE STORY OF DEXTER REED.

ONE OF CONTROVERSY.

AND ONE THAT WILL TAKE TIME TO FULLY KNOW THE FACTS AS MULTIPLE INVESTIGATIONS PLAY OUT.

WE’LL TELL YOU WHAT WE KNOW.

BUT WE ALSO WANT TO SHOW YOU HOW THIS STORY IS BEING TOLD IN DIFFERENT WAYS – DEPENDING ON A NEWS OUTLET’S POLITICAL LEAN.

WHAT WE DO KNOW THROUGH CHICAGO OFFICIALS.

IS THERE WAS A TRAFFIC STOP, REPORTEDLY OVER A SEATBELT VIOLATION..

26 YEAR OLD DEXTER REED WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY POLICE.

POLICE – WEARING PLAIN CLOTHES –  FIRED 96 SHOTS.

WE ALSO KNOW REED DID NOT COMPLY WITH OFFICERS’ COMMANDS.

AND ALLEGEDLY SHOT AT POLICE FIRST – INJURING ONE OFFICER.

AUTHORITIES SAY WHEN A GUN WAS RECOVERED IN HIS CAR – THE MAGAZINE WAS EMPTY.

REED AND THE INJURED OFFICER WERE BOTH BLACK MEN.

DAYS BEFORE THE DEADLY SHOOTING – REED WAS IN COURT FACING FIREARM CHARGES.

THERE ARE DETAILS THAT ARE STILL VERY UNCLEAR.

BUT WITH THESE FEW GIVEN FACTS OF THE CASE –

THE MEDIA HAD TO DECIDE HOW TO TELL THE STORY.

HERE’S HOW SOME HEADLINES READ FROM LEFT-LEANING NEWS OUTLETS.

“POLICE FIRE 96 SHOTS IN 41 SECONDS, KILLING BLACK MAN DURING TRAFFIC STOP.”

“KILLING OF DEXTER REED RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT CHICAGO POLICE REFORM. ‘THE MESSAGE IS GO IN GUNS BLAZING.’”

“96 SHOTS IN 41 SECONDS: SEATBELT VIOLATION LEADS TO DEATH OF BLACK CHICAGO MOTORIST.”

HERE’S HOW SOME HEADLINES READ FROM RIGHT-LEANING NEWS OUTLETS.

“CHICAGO MAN SHOOTS AT POLICE. CORPORATE MEDIA BLAME THE COPS.”

“MEDIA BURY KEY DETAIL ABOUT POLICE SHOOTING OF MAN FACING GUN CHARGES.”

“DEXTER REED IS ANOTHER BOGUS MARTYR.” 

THE THING ABOUT NEWS HEADLINES –

IS EIGHT TIMES OUT OF TEN – A READER – DOESN’T GO ANY FURTHER.

THERE’S AN “80-20 RULE” IN HEADLINE WRITING.

MEANING “EIGHT OF 10 PEOPLE WILL READ THE HEADLINE BUT ONLY TWO READ THE REST.”

AND WHILE THERE’S ONLY SO MANY WORDS A REPORTER CAN FIT INTO A HEADLINE –

NEWS OUTLETS ARE CONSTANTLY VYING FOR YOUR ATTENTION – AND USE IMAGERY AND HEADLINES TO DO IT.

AND THAT CAN LEAD TO YOU GETTING VERY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON THE SAME STORY. IT’S SOMETHING MEDIA WATCHDOGS LIKE ‘ALLSIDES’ LOOK FOR. 

MANY LEFT-LEANING NEWS OUTLETS AND SOME ON THE RIGHT

ARE USING THIS PHOTO IN THEIR COVERAGE OF DEXTER REED.

A PHOTO OF REED IN A CAP AND GOWN AT GRADUATION 5 YEARS AGO.

WHILE OTHER RIGHT-LEANING OUTLETS ARE USING HIS MUG SHOT FROM AN ARREST IN 2023.

NEWS OUTLETS RATED BY ALLSIDES AS BEING DOWN THE CENTER MORE OFTEN THAN NOT OPTED FOR PHOTOS OF THE ACTUAL BODY CAM FOOTAGE WHEN REPORTING ON THE TRAFFIC STOP THAT KILLED DEXTER REED AND INJURED A POLICE OFFICER.

THIS STORY IS ONE THAT WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP.

OUR PURPOSE HERE IS TO SHOW YOU THE VALUE IN GOING BEYOND JUST A HEADLINE – OR BEYOND JUST TAKING THE WORD OF ONE SOURCE –

WHEN A STORY GARNERS SO MUCH CONTROVERSY AND PUBLICITY.