Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Spot the Problem!

What's wrong with this headline?

MA Native Shot During Alleged Robbery In Miami

Nothing at all, provided you want to mislead your readers. Going to the story, we find that:

Around 10 p.m. Monday night, police say a Palm Beach sheriff's deputy, not in uniform, was confronted by a robber who had a knife. The deputy shot the man dead.

Police say the man is Nicholas Burdett, 25 – a Springfield College alum and a former Needham resident.

Nothing like a misleading headline to trick bring viewers in, eh?

Sadly, since it was a police officer who ended this criminal's career, it doesn't count in the dead goblin category. On the plus side, we have a strong contender for a new category: "Victim selection: UR doin it rong"...

That is all.

UPDATE: TOTWTYTR points out that there's a good deal in this story that doesn't quite add up, not just the headline. Shot in a lifeguard station? That's just plain weird, and certainly doesn't quote pass the sniff test for self-defense.

4 comments:

TOTWTYTR said...

Yeah, there's something wrong about this whole story. How did the robber end up on the lifeguard stand? What was the deputy doing in Miami?

If I were the Miami-Dade homicide detective on this case, I'd have a ton of questions. Then again, I'm just cynical.

Jay G said...

Hmmm. I either missed that part the first time around (reading compreehenshun: J's doin it rong) or they changed the story.

Post updated to reflect incredulity...

Weer'd Beard said...

I'm guessing the force of the gunshot flung him up onto the stand.

I saw it in a movie once!

Anonymous said...

I knew this kid, and this whole story doesnt add up, everything is entirely out of character for him