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How Not To Make Us Safer
By Greg L | 1 May 2008 | Crime, Prince William County | 14 Comments
Funny how two different local newspapers can report on the same incident, and provide a different set of facts. Two local papers reported on a recent home invasion and robbery in Woodbridge, and one paper provides a description, albeit rather vague of the suspects while the other claims that a description of the suspects was not available. How curious.
From the Manassas Urinal-Massager:
Woodbridge home invasion investigated
Prince William County police are investigating a home invasion that occurred in the 1400 block of Idaho Street in Woodbridge late Tuesday night.
The incident happened sometime between 12:30 and 1:30 a.m., said Officer Erika Hernandez, police spokeswoman.
A group of six to nine armed males knocked on the front door, then forced their way in and began tying up the six people who were inisde the house.
Each of the assailants had his face covered with either a ski mask or a bandanna and each was armed with a handgun, Hernandez said.
After tying up the six people at the house, the robbers ransacked the house and stole cash and a cell phone, Hernandez said.
Two men, one 19 and the other 26, were each struck on the head during the incident, Hernandez said.
The 26-year-old was taken to the hospital and required stitches for the cut he sustained, she said.
A detailed description of the assailants was not available. The investigation continues, police said.
And then, here’s the Gainesville Times:
Home Invasion, Armed Robbery, occurred on April 30, 2008, between 12:30-1:30 a.m. in the 1400 block of Idaho Street in Woodbridge. Six victims reported that a group of male suspects knocked on the front door of their residence and forced their way into the house. The suspects had their faces covered with ski masks and one with a bandana. All the suspects were armed with hand guns. The victims were each tied up and the house was searched through by the suspects. Two male victims, a 19-year-old and a 26-year-old were each struck on their head with a blunt object. The 26-year-old victim was treated a local hospital for a laceration he received on his head. The suspects relieved some of the victims of their cash and a cell phone. There were between six and nine suspects. They were described as Black and Hispanic males, some between 20-22-years-old. One of Hispanic male suspects had long black hair. The investigation continues.
Why is the Manassas Urinal-Massager telling readers that information which would help identify suspects in this case does not exist when other media outlets are demonstrating that it does? I’m not so much of a skeptic to believe that the Manassas Urinal-Massager doesn’t want the suspects in this case identified, but I would imagine that if a bunch of white gang-bangers dressed like wannabes of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation invaded someone’s home, a full description of the suspects in the case would have been reported. If the MJM is engaging in an effort to supress the description of wanted criminal suspects in cases where those suspect belong to a specific ethnic minority, that kind of ethnic bias comes with significant downsides for our public safety.
UPDATE: The reporter sent me an email to explain the MJM’s policy after reading this.
I read your post about the home invasion report and I thought I would explain to you our policy. That policy is that the description contain at least four characteristics since, for example, race and age alone are hardly enough to identify a person. I have done it when the police say the person is white, black, Hispanic, Asian, etc. If you have any questions in the future about why certain decisions are made, please feel free to contact me.
I feel much better now, don’t you?
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14 Comments
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I’ve noticed this type of reporting from the MJM in the past. I wonder if there is an official policy or not regarding reporting descriptions of suspects.
This was a terrorist act and should be treated as such. Looks to me like it was only about 3000 feet from Sr. Pincipi’s adobe.
CitizenofManassas,
MJM doesn’t want to print descriptions because they are afraid these characters may be illegal aliens.
MJM is aiding and abetting criminal activity.
I’ve said it before…..the 3rd battle of Manassas is looming.
I think that the police spokesmen/women also keep info about hispanic suspects on the down low.
What’s the point of only providing to police a partial license plate number on a hit-and-run homicide? That’s hardly enough to identify the vehicle, right?
Let them try that to me in my home and I got a special 9mm gift for each of them. I’ll even let them have a 2 for 1 special that night.
Anon,
Because unlike cars, suspects can and do move onto their next victim and even an incomplete discretion is better then none at all.
Any other excuses for the criminal supporting MJM?
I have noticed for a number of years many papers that leave our any physical description of the suspect. The fear of being accused of “profiling” seems to be behind this. Instead of ” a ___________ (race here) _______ (sex here) approximately ________ft. tall _______ (slim, fat, etc.) wearing a ____________ (clothing description here) held up the gas station. ……Now we get “somebody may have taken something from someone at the gas station. Be on the lookout for somebody looking criminal.” Not much to go on but hey, we won’t offend anybody with this approach will we? And isn’t avoiding hurting anyone’s feeling’s what really matters?
CitizenofManassas, should have left a sarcasm tag on that.
My point being that any descriptive info is better than nothing. You’d think the cops and/or the papers would want to publicly provide whatever was available…
Anon,
OK. I need to replace my batteries.
Okay — Tuesday night — the pushing age 30 anchor baby of the illegal alien parents who obviously obtained amnesty from Reagan — said he bought several guns to protect himself from the possibility of being asked to provide proof of citizenship — gee — I wonder if he will buy a suitcase nuke to protect himself from a potential home invasion from what must be one of the multiple of gangs we have in PWC.
Now, given this news report I think I will being buying a gun and applying for a concealed weapons carry permit — as I no longer feel safe with just the dog.
I counted more than 4 characteristics in the Gainesville article:
group of 6-9 people
Black and Hispanic
Males
some between 20-22 years old
one had long black hair
Guess besides being slow to report, MJM also cannot count.
Judy T.:
Never let on that you don’t have a gun.