In this undated photo provided by the Pierce County Sheriff's Dept., Benjamin Colton Barnes, is shown. Officials said Barnes is a person of interest in the fatal shooting of a park ranger at Mount Rainier National Park. (AP Photo/Pierce County Sheriff's Dept.)
Readers rapped the Tacoma News-Tribune for running the photo of a shirtless, gun-clutching Benjamin Barnes.
Barnes, who was discharged from the Army in 2009 after a DUI, opened fire during a New Year’s party “show and tell” and fled, reports say. He fatally shot 34-year-old Margaret Anderson and later died of exposure in the wilderness.
One reader is quoted asking, “What is gained by showing this image? Who benefits? Does it serve as a deterrent? Does it promote anything other than guns … certainly not anything positive or community building.”
[via Jim Romenesko]
2 Comments
The photo gives the readers a picture of who he was: someone who thought he was a tough guy.
There is always something more to the picture then what the eye sees.