The boyfriend of a television reporter who was killed on live television near Roanoke, Virginia this week says he wants her death to start a substantive conversation about gun violence in America. Chris Hurst – himself a TV reporter – told CNN the story should not be about the shooter who tried to craft his own narrative using video and social media.
“The manner in which he took Alison and Adam’s life should not be the focus of this story,” Hurst says. “The focus of this story should be two amazing lights that were extinguished for no good reason.”
He’s not the only one who feels that way – a number of online campaigns aim to pressure the media into not providing recognition to shooters who kill for the notoriety.
Pete Blair teaches Criminal Justice at Texas State University, and trains law enforcement on dealing with active shooters through the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT). The program started a campaign they call “Don’t Name Them.”
