On Wednesday, multiple news outlets — including CNN and Fox News — announced that an arrest had been made in the Boston Marathon bombing investigation, then later walked back reports after the Boston Police Department refuted the developments.
The FBI has issued a clarification on the investigation, and with it a stinging indictment of news organizations that have been too quick to report false information:
“Contrary to widespread reporting, no arrest has been made in connection with the Boston Marathon attack. Over the past day and a half, there have been a number of press reports based on information from unofficial sources that has been inaccurate. Since these stories often have unintended consequences, we ask the media, particularly at this early stage of the investigation, to exercise caution and attempt to verify information through appropriate official channels before reporting.”
The New York Post, in particular, has been criticized for reporting 12 dead even though the death toll most often cited by news outlets has been that three died from Monday’s attack.
