The San Bernardino shooting has led to all types of confusions for many reasons, and now it’s being reported that the media actually made things a bit worse on Thursday, December 3. According to The Blaze , members of the media rushed the home of the San Bernardino shooters – identified as Muslim newlyweds Muslim newlyweds, Syed Farook, 28, and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, 27 – to broadcast live coverage of the findings inside the apartment. However, there’s just one problem.
Apparently, investigators had not been inside the home yet, so reporters were accused of contaminating what was considered a “still-live crime scene.” But, surprisingly, it is still unclear who actually allowed the reporters to enter the apartment. Here’s why:
At the beginning of the news clip, Anderson Cooper asks how the reporters were able to enter the apartment. One of the members of the media insisted the landlord allowed them to enter. The landlord reportedly came to the apartment with a crowbar and drill to open the door which had been barricaded with a piece of wood. The news reporters insisted they were allowed to enter because local authorities were no longer interested in the apartment because they’d confiscated all that was needed for the investigation.
Here’s the CNN news clip via YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niSDaLR7vKI
However, The Blaze contacted the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Office and was told that it was unclear why the media was allowed to enter the suspects’ home.
https://twitter.com/chrisenloe/status/672833337988407296
Initially, investigators suspected that the landlord had granted the media entrance into the apartment based on their account, but later learned he denied doing so. Although most Americans were captivated by news updates about the San Bernardino shooting, many wondered how news reporters gained access to the home of two possible terrorists.
Landlord says he didn’t allow media into San Bernardino shooters’ apartment: ‘they rushed’ https://t.co/2CfqNG6voO pic.twitter.com/HlWPUEeJHY
— KCAL News (@kcalnews) December 4, 2015
For those who missed it, investigators found “arsenal of ammunition, including 2,000 9mm rounds, another 2,500.223 rounds and several hundred long rifle bullets, along with 12 pipe bombs and tools that could be used to construct IEDs” inside the San Bernardino shooters’ home, according to the Daily Mail . Since the reporters were inside the apartment while it was still an active crime scene, there is a possibility a substantial amount of evidence could have been contaminated due to fingerprints from members of the media. It is also still unclear whether or not the explosives were still inside the home. Since reporters did find a number of items that would have normally been used for the investigation, it is still unclear whether the media got there before or after investigators.
Findings in raid of San Bernardino shooters’ home: – 12 pipe bombs – 4,500 bullets – Tools for making explosives https://t.co/42gHSj9IyP
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) December 3, 2015
CNN’s law enforcement analyst, Harry Houck, shared his reaction to the disturbing news coverage, admitting that he got “chills” seeing the media and news reporters contaminate possible evidence for the case. He was simply shocked and appalled that they were allowed to enter.
“I don’t see any fingerprint dust on the walls where they went in there and checked for fingerprints for other people that might have been connected with these two. You’ve got documents laying all over the place; you’ve got shredded documents…You have passports, you’ve got drivers’ licenses — now you have thousands of fingerprints all over inside this crime scene.”
“I am so shocked, I cannot believe it.”
If members of the media have tampered with evidence that could contribute to the investigation, it is unclear how the investigation will turn out. At this point, they are reportedly faced with a big problem if the San Bernardino shooters’ home was still, indeed, an active crime scene.
[Image via YouTube Screen Capture]
