What sort of media coverage did we get at a worst moment?

 

The mass shootings on October 25, 2021 at the Boise Towne Square mall are an example of media coverage. Our newspapers and TV did an excellent job of covering a story that unfolded relatively slowly (because of the large area and many witnesses). They stuck to the facts and didn’t speculate. Their coverage repeated what the Boise Police released in their news conferences.

 

For example, the Associated Press had an article by Rebecca Boone and Keith Ridler on October 25, 2021 titled Police: 2 die, 4 injured in Idaho mall shooting. A second article by Rebecca Boone on October 26, 2021 is titled Coroner IDs suspect in Boise mall shooting that killed two. A third article on October 27, 2021 is titled Mall shooting victim’s family hopes to bring body home.

 

KTVB (TV7) also had several articles. October 25, 2021 there is one by Devin Ramey titled BPD: 2 people killed, 5 others, including suspect and a police officer, injured in Boise mall shooting and a second by Celina Van Hyming titled False social media post claims multiple suspects were involved in Boise Towne Square shooting. A third by Celina Van Hyming on October 26, 2021 is titled BPD Chief: Boise mall shooting suspect was known to police; a fourth on October 27, 2021 is titled Timeline: What we know about the Boise Towne Square shooting.

 

The suspected shooter, Jacob Bergquist, a 27-year-old Boise man died of his injuries. He killed two other people. One was Jo Acker, a mall security guard who was an Army veteran (paratrooper and forward artillery observer). The other was Robert Padilla Arguelles, a 49-year-old truck driver who lived part of the year in the southern Idaho city of Rupert and the other part of the year in Zacatecas, Mexico.