The Asian American Journalists Association urges all newsrooms to exercise caution in identifying the race or ethnicity of crime suspects, particularly after the New York Post inaccurately reported that a “Chinese man” was responsible for the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
On July 13, The New York Post published an article that said the person who attempted to shoot former President Donald Trump was a “Chinese man.” Hours later, the FBI publicly identified the suspected shooter, a young white male. The New York Post later changed the story to accurately reflect the suspected shooter’s race without a formal correction. The outlet did not update the story with an editor’s note until July 16, following statements from AAJA and others on social media. The note apologized for the error and said “incorrect information was obtained from sources.”
Newsrooms must stress precision and fairness, even when there is pressure to report information quickly. In this case, inaccurate reporting could potentially endanger Asian American and Pacific Islander communities that have already experienced increased anti-AAPI incidents and crimes. With AAPI communities already facing dangerous political rhetoric, such as often being blamed for the COVID-19 pandemic, irresponsible reporting about the shooter further exacerbates risks to communities already on edge.
AAJA urges all newsrooms to exercise utmost caution and prioritize accuracy in breaking news situations. We also urge that newsrooms practice transparency; swift, explicit corrections allow newsrooms to take accountability, inform and update their audiences, and build and maintain trust with communities.
As always, AAJA is available to engage in dialogue to encourage and standardize fair and accurate coverage of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
