Media circus added stress to an already difficult situation as two RCMP shot

Leslie Cholowsky
Editor

    As the events of last Tuesday’s tragedy unfolded, initial news reports were sketchy and often filled with inaccuracies. Even basic geography seemed to escape some of the national media people covering the event as early reports stated a shooting had taken place in Killam.

    But as rural residents living near the crime scene were prevented from going home, police roadblocks were set up, and friends and neighbours of the downed officers were reeling from shock, the Flagstaff area was quickly filling with media from many outlets, all looking for information and reactions.

    The news trucks and cameras were seen by residents as a novelty, but constant requests for comments and information were something many found stressful, and something to avoid.

    As area business owners and residents were quietly going about their daily business many were initially alerted to the news of two RCMP officers from the Killam detachment being shot by random telephone calls from national media outlets asking for their reactions.

For more see the Feb. 14/12 issue of The Community Press