Shortly before 2 a.m., Montclair police responded to a report of gunshots near the Erie Saloon on Depot Square. No guns or gunshots were found, but police found a stabbing victim. The suspect in the stabbing, a white man with shoulder-length blond dreadlocks, got away.
On 12/23/11 at approximately 1:55 AM, police responded to the area of the Erie Saloon on Depot Square on a report of an assault and shots fired. Upon arrival, police saw a large group in the area of the Erie Saloon, but could not locate anyone who stated that they heard any gunshots. Police checked the area and located a victim on Label Street near the soccer dome. The victim, a nineteen year old Verona resident, had suffered a stab wound to the chest. The victim was transported to University Hospital for medical treatment.
While in the area, police were able to locate a witness, who stated that the victim and friends had been at the Erie Saloon approximately twenty minutes prior to police arrival. During this time, the victim and a friend engaged in an argument near the rear door of the establishment. The witness stated that the suspect was outside the Erie Saloon smoking a cigarette. The suspect then told the victim that he did not like it when people like the victim and his friend “caused drama.” The victim and his friend continued to engage in an argument, followed by the suspect making a “wise remark” to the victim. The witness stated the victim responded by shoving the suspect to the ground and screaming, “Get outta here!” The witness stated that the victim and the suspect fought on the ground before another friend of the victim’s attempted to help. During this time, the suspect pulled a knife out and stabbed the victim in the chest. The suspect then fled the scene on foot. The direction of flight is not known at this time.
The suspect is described as a white male with an olive complexion, 5’9”-5’10”, with blond shoulder-length dreadlocks, thin build, and no facial hair. He was last seen wearing a dark-colored jacket and a blue bandana. No other information is available at this time.
Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective Terence Turner at 973-509-4724 or Detective Joseph Anderson at 973-509-4706.
Why do they have to mention the suspects race?
sheepy,
its because we want to catch this suspect and its easier to find a white male with blonde dreadlocks than just saying “man with dreadlocks”, which would probably lead everyone to look for the wrong person
Let’s be clear about this: Baristanet “reports” crime story after crime story, and yet in only in this case is the suspect’s race reported. As a truly seasoned editor like myself can tell you, you generally do not report race, period, no matter how “rare” the circumstance might be. That rule somewhat contradicts AP’s official stance in its stylebook: “Identification by race is pertinent: — In biographical and announcement stories that involve a feat or appointment not routinely associated with members of a particular race.” It’s a similar situation to going out of one’s way to point out that a woman firefighter has been appointed chief, or a male nurse attended to such and such victim. In short: Baristanet betrays its ignorance — and perhaps a bit of a social agenda — with this misstep. There is entirely no reason to mention race in this circumstance; you can imagine the hew and cry if an outlet reports that “six dark-skinned males accosted the victim … ” That’s why we who know what we’re doing don’t mention race in crime-story headlines; in the body of the story, usually we do — and even then that can get a bit touchy. But be clear: There’s no justification for emphasizing “white man with dreadlocks” here. Baristanet might attempt to justify it — and they’ll be wrong, period. BN, don’t play at journalism — it obviously doesn’t suit you and makes you look entirely foolish.
Editrr….Very objective of you.
Obviously the knife wasn’t in your chest. Please keep holding back facts in your paper and just let your readers read between the lines.
I saw the ‘intense investigation’ yesterday morning, 5 cops with pokers all assigned to one bush each near the scene looking for ?. With police work like that I cannot believe we have a thriving crime-ridden ghetto in Montclair. But at least we have wide shoulders on the roads through the ghetto. Thanks Jerry!
Actually, Paz, if I’d had my druthers, we’d report race across the board in crime stories. But every outlet has its standards: http://blog.chron.com/aboutchron/2005/07/nothing-pc-about-not-routinely-reporting-race-of-a-crime-suspect. In this case, the suspect’s race is hardly of particular note; someone thought it was “odd” that a white man had dreadlocks. So will I see a headline when “black woman with blonde hair robs bank” or “Asian male with curly red hair steals purse”? No; because that would be “insensitive,” and we’d get lambasted for unfairly singling out minorities, feeding stereotypical beliefs, etc. Being even-handed in this profession is always difficult; this is a clear case of missing the mark by a mile.
I fail to understand why you wouldn’t report a suspect’s race. If you feel the need to leave out race to be pc, why not leave out the suspect’s gender too? Red-headed people get picked on sometimes, so best not report on hair color either. And someone’s clothing might indicate their economic situation, so that should probably go too. Afterall, we don’t want to make it any easier to capture a suspect of a crime do we? Oh wait, that’s actually the point of giving descriptive details about a suspect. The only problem I can see with this is if someone is inconsistent in revealing certain details (i.e. only reporting the race of black suspects but not asian).
Actually read his post. He suggests it is inappropriate to use race in the headline and I agree. Actually the what Jews can do headline is also just as unprofessional.
First off, whether they leave information out or put it in, it is not up to B’net, they are simply copying and pasting what the police sent over. I think a white male with dreadlocks is a very important part of the story. That is the point of police blotters. In your case, you think its unfair to describe a suspect, which makes no sense to me. Maybe you can also fight congress to repeal the Amber Alerts. After all, if someone kidnaps a child, why should we all look for a white honda accord with xx-xxx license plate? Oh wait, it could save a childs life!
If you want to ignore the 800lb gorilla and say that their are countless white dreadlocked residents in the montclair area that’s fine. But a 19 year old old was stabbed in the chest. Like a lost cat/dog, it would be nice to have a description so a local shop owner or resident can identify and call the authorities.
“Let’s be clear about this: Baristanet “reports” crime story after crime story, and yet in only in this case is the suspect’s race reported.”
Let’s be VERY clear. When there is a suspect AT LARGE and the race of the suspect is reported by police (ie. witnessed) Baristanet ALWAYS prints the race. This is appropriate and proper as it is part of a physical description.
When the report is about an apprehended suspect then there is no need to report the race unless it is a race related crime or otherwise germane to the story.
p.s. even in the headline it’s appropriate. It’s a physical description. The important thing to do is alert the community and apprehend the perp. Political correctness and self-important “editors” are at best a secondary consideration.
It’s standard to include race/gender/ethnicity when a suspect’s identity is unknown. If the identity of someone is known or if they have already been found, that’s when certain identifying details suddenly lose their significance to the general public.
I suspect, with regard to editrr, a pronounced tendency towards pussyfooting round racial realities if a suspect isn’t properly identified. (The curious are urged to read James Q. Wilson’s “Thinking About crime” for a detailed look at crime statistics; his views were famously influential during the Giuliani administration.) Hut it’s not at all a helpful attitude.
On the other hand, if Baristanet had offered up merely a “suspect with dreadlocks,” we’d all have likely made an unfortunately racialist assumption, no? Even if this is not Jamaica.
On the other hand, to be completely, well, fair-minded in a sense, someone with hair described as “dreadlocks” is often merely someone with unwashed, at best vaguely combed hair. (You often find a lot of such folk employed at Barnes & Noble for some odd reason.)
Ah well, to all a joyous, conspicuously merry Christmas, either the day or the religious celebration).
He was a large man with a white beard in a red suit & cap, as he ran away he exclaimed: “Have a cool yule….and don’t get knock out….or knocked down or stabbed or blind stinking drunk at 2am you nincompoops!”
The headline for this story on Patch is “Stabbing Early Friday Near Soccer Dome”. Both stories came from the same police blotter yet B-net chose to sensationalize the race of the perpetrator. Is this necessary or even professional? Does B-net put the race of the alleged perpetrator on ANY headline when the when the perpetrator is black? Double standard, I’m just saying.
a white man with dreadlocks is unusual. putting the description in the headline might catch someone’s attention in relationship to an unusual description of a suspect. it’s totally legitimate put it in the headline.
So anything the editor deems “unusual” is okay? A black man with blond hair? A white guy beatboxing? A black man with a violín? An Asían guy with an afro? A woman in a hard hat?
The issue is the headline. All known descriptions should be in the story, but the headline? Someone has to decide what goes there, and it is legitimate to question whether or not any racial info is needed.
I tend to think most of the time it is.
But here, it read more sensational than informative. The idea that someone might see the headline here, not read the story, but may have some info is a stretch.
And made me think of this:
http://www.cracked.com/funny-4135-white-guys-with-dreads/
“So anything the editor deems “unusual” is okay?”
Yes, of course. We’re trying to catch a criminal here. If the perp is a “white male in his thirties” that’s not going to catch your eye in a headline nor is it likely to prompt anyone who saw a white male in his thirties walking down the street at the time of the crime. Becuase it’s not unusual. If he’s dressed in a Captain Kirk costume it’s another story. Someone who would otherwise not read the story may think “hey I saw a guy dressed as Kirk in the parking lot last night”
In fact, because of the dreadlocks mentioning he was white is an imperative so as not to mistake the race of the perp.
I fail to understand why you wouldn’t report a suspect’s race.
Because it serves no purpose, in most cases. If you read about a “black man in his mid 30s” robbing a bank, what are you going to do? Call the police every time you see a black man in his mid 30s? Same goes for a white guy. Even with a more specific description — “white man in his mid 20s wearing a red shirt and blue jeans and white sneakers” — what exactly are you going to do with that information? Tackle every guy you see who matches the description?
Besides, by the time Baristanet gets this info, it’s usually old enough that the guy could’ve ditched the shirt, pants and sneakers, and then you’re just left with “white guy.” Really helpful.
You’re all wrong. The Baristas aren’t trying to catch thieves. They’re trying to get people to read the story. “White guy with dreadlocks” is more interesting than “Yet another crime like all the others.”
It ABSOLUTELY serves a purpose. It’s obvious no one here is in law enforcement. How are police suppose to compile a description of a suspect when your leaving out a HUGE factor, such as race? Police, or the public, can be much more effective in apprehending a suspect if they know the race. If a bank was robbed by a white male in his 20′s with no facial hair, how many 50yo black males with beards you think they are going to stop? It’s called process of elimination for all you bleeding hearts…No wonder Essex Co. (and this country) is so effed up!
It ABSOLUTELY serves a purpose. It’s obvious no one here is in law enforcement. How are police suppose to compile a description of a suspect when your leaving out a HUGE factor, such as race?
I didn’t say police shouldn’t know the suspect’s race. I said that, for the most part, telling the readers of Baristanet the race of a suspect serves no purpose.
The purpose it serves, nick, is in helping the police get leads as to any possible witnesses. I don’t see how this is even a matter of debate. If someone you knew got stabbed, wouldn’t you want all the information out there so someone could potentially help nab the suspect? If it doesn’t end up leading to anything, then nothing lost (unless you are somehow afraid there is going to be a sudden surge in hate crimes against white males w dreadlocks b/c of this baristanet article). While I will agree that most times the descriptions seem so broad as to be completely unhelpful, who is going to judge when the information may or may not be of use?
If descriptive information is never useful, then perhaps the news should have never released the photo of the man in Old Bridge who kidnapped his two daughters. You realize it was b/c of tips from a civilian that they found him. But perhaps it would have been better if they had just said a person of unknown gender and age and height and ethnicity kidnapped two children. That would have done those kids a lot of good.
“I didn’t say police shouldn’t know the suspect’s race. I said that, for the most part, telling the readers of Baristanet the race of a suspect serves no purpose.”
No purpose? Someone may have seen a white man with dreadlocks near the sceen of the crime get into a car they could describe, or go into a house, or join up with associates. How would they know to report this without the information In the article and headline.
No purpose? It’s amazing to me to see how blind political correctness can make people.
I know I am late to the party here but the race of a suspect is just one more piece of the puzzle, such as gender, hair color, height, build, and age. The more information the police have about a suspect, the better. I hope that in my lifetime, that this PC bull goes the way of the dinosaur.
An albino, perhaps?
A mosquito, perhaps?