BLUF: Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott suggests that mass shootings in predominantly black communities receive less media coverage compared to shootings in predominantly white or suburban communities.
In a recent interview, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott stated that there is a racial disparity in the media’s coverage of mass shootings. He suggested that when mass shootings occur in urban areas like Baltimore, Chicago, or D.C., they do not receive the same level of attention as shootings in rural or suburban white communities. He emphasized that all lives, including black lives, should be treated equally.
However, it is important to note that the shooting in Baltimore, where two people were killed and 28 others injured, has received coverage from major news outlets such as NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, and the Associated Press. The reason for the difference in coverage may be the nature of the incident itself. The shooting took place at a block party with around 200 people in attendance, where multiple shooters were involved. This suggests that the shooting may have started as a dispute, which is typical of gun violence in major cities. On the other hand, sensationalized mass killings that target people at random in populated areas, such as schools, malls, or theaters, tend to receive more attention.
It is crucial to acknowledge that all murders are tragic and senseless, and gun violence is a problem that needs to be addressed. However, the evidence does not support the claim that the Baltimore shooting received less attention because it occurred in a predominantly black neighborhood with black victims.