Better way to report shooting sprees

Our country's news leadership - especially network and local television - must find a smarter way to report future multiple-death shooting sprees.

Too many days after the tragedy in California, that horror story still is given detailed reporting, highlighting the killer's extensive planning.

An unfortunate byproduct of this continuing coverage is the repeated stimulation and instruction of more than a few mentally troubled souls considering how they might make themselves similarly famous.

The extensive manifesto is new, a way to provide reporters conveniently with unending material, personal background, motives, how to plan, profundities and posturing, an abundance of details ideal for signaling the world to 'look at me!”

The event is the primary news. Who, what, how many killed/wounded, killer's condition and how it happened, but it doesn't need reporting more than 48 hours, even if killers would prefer more exposure.

Maybe a smarter way to report shooting sprees can be introduced in Eastern Iowa.

Bill Munsell

Cedar Rapids