On Tuesday, authorities in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania announced that the suspect behind the Monday mass shooting there was Kimbrady Carriker, a transgendered man who pretends to be a woman and a Black Lives Matter activist. But while the Wednesday morning newscasts of ABC, CBS, and NBC omitted all of that information, ABC’s Good Morning America went the furthest, using gender-neutral pronouns when talking about the shooter and editing a video of the district attorney referring to Carriker as male.
“We do turn to the mass shooting that left five people dead in Philadelphia. We are learning more about the victims and police are identifying the suspected shooter who they say was armed for battle,” ABC co-anchor Whit Johnson declared, teasing they would inform viewers about the shooter.
But correspondent Trevor Ault refused to disclose anything about Carriker’s background and repeatedly used gender-neutral/plural pronouns and other non-descript language:
So, the suspected shooter is expected to be arraigned today on a slew of charges. Officials say they were armed and armored firing seemingly random but they say they carried out this shooting intentionally and knowingly. They killed multiple people including a teenager and they even shot a toddler.
(…)
This morning, investigators in Philadelphia urgently trying to uncover why they say a suspect went on a horrific blocks-long rampage.
(…)
This footage appears to show a person shooting at a nearby intersection.
It was late in the report when Ault actually got around to giving a name to the suspect, even then, he refused to call the shooter a male. ABC was so dedicated to not offending the sensibilities of a mass shooter that they edited a video of liberal District Attorney Larry Krasner using male pronouns:
AULT: Officials say that the shooter, who multiple law enforcement sources tell ABC News is 40-year-old Kimbrady Carriker, is going to face multiple criminal charges.
KRASNER: -- will be facing multiple counts of murder and will also be facing multiple counts of aggravated assault as a first-degree felony. Weapons charges, among others.
Linked here is the Philadelphia Police Department’s YouTube video of the press conference ABC ripped their soundbite from. At the 11:49 mark, Krasner proclaims: “But I can tell you this, the man who did this is in custody. The man who did this will be facing multiple counts of murder and will also be facing multiple counts of aggravated assault as a first-degree felony. Weapons charges, among others.”
Over on CBS Mornings, while they didn’t disclose that the shooter was trans or with BLM, co-anchor Tony Dokoupil repeatedly referred to the Carriker as a male. “The alleged gunman had an AR-style rifle and a handgun when he was arrested. He has not yet been officially charged, and we still don't know about a motive,” he reported.
Meanwhile, on NBC’s Today, correspondent George Solis joined Ault in using generic, gender-neutral terms such as “the shooter,” “the suspect,” “the gunman,” and “a person.”
ABC’s Orwellian use and editing of language was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Dawn and Discover. Their contact information is linked.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s Good Morning America
July 5, 2023
7:07:55 a.m.WHIT JOHNSON: We do turn to the mass shooting that left five people dead in Philadelphia. We are learning more about the victims and police are identifying the suspected shooter who they say was armed for battle. Trevor Ault is in Philadelphia with the latest. Trevor, good morning.
TREVOR AULT: Good morning, Whit. So, the suspected shooter is expected to be arraigned today on a slew of charges. Officials say they were armed and armored firing seemingly random but they says they carried out this shooting intentionally and knowingly. They killed multiple people including a teenager and they even shot a toddler.
[Cuts to video]
This morning, investigators in Philadelphia urgently trying to uncover why they say a suspect went on a horrific blocks-long rampage.
DANIELLE OUTLAW (Philadelphia police commissioner): Armed and armored individual reach to have firing with a rifle at the victims seemingly at random. Shooting seven, killing five, including children, babies.
AULT: This footage appears to show a person shooting at a nearby intersection. Police say they received the first calls around 8:30 Monday night. They said the suspect was wearing body armor and a ski mask armed with an AR-15 style rifle and handgun.
(…)
AULT: Police say officers engage the shooter in an alley but did not return fire. The suspect allegedly surrendering. And nearly four hours later, investigators were called to a house where they say a body of a fifth victim was found.
(…)
AULT: Authorities say that shooting victims ranged from 59 to as young as two years old, including multiple teenagers. Officials say that shooter, who multiple law enforcement sources tell ABC News is 40-year-old Kimbrady Carriker, is going to face multiple criminal charges.
LARRY KRASNER (district attorney): -- will be facing multiple counts of murder and will also be facing multiple counts of aggravated assault as a first degree felony. Weapons charges, among others.
AULT: The city now mourns the lives taken.
(…)
CBS Mornings
July 5, 2023
7:09:56 a.m. EasternTONY DOKOUPIL: We’re going to take a tough turn now back to the news and a troubling story out of Philadelphia over the weekend. A mass shooting during the holiday, southwest Philadelphia. Five people dead. And surveillance video on your screen now appears to show what happened. A gunman opening fire on an everyday city street.
Philadelphia police have confirmed that the video you see hare is part of their investigation, but they've declined to comment further. And they say the suspect who is in custody had no connection to the victims who range in age from 15 to 59. Two children were wounded in this attack, but fortunately they are now in stable condition.
The alleged gunman had an AR-style rifle and a handgun when he was arrested. He has not yet been officially charged, and we still don't know about a motive.
