FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21, 2015
VICTIMS FROM NINE OF THE WORST MASS SHOOTINGS IN HISTORY ISSUE CHALLENGE TO MEDIA
For Sake Of Public Safety, 150 Media Executives Across the Country Asked to Change the Way Their Networks And Newspapers Cover Mass Killers
PHOENIX, AZ — Victims from Columbine, Virginia Tech, Northern Illinois University, Tucson, Aurora, Oak Creek Sikh Temple, Alturas, Isla Vista and Newtown are challenging top media organizations across the nation to change the way they report on rampage mass killers for the sake of public safety (see attached list). Seventy victims and survivors have joined Tom and Caren Teves in an effort called No Notoriety. Tom and Caren are the parents of Alex Teves who was murdered in the Aurora theater shooting on July 20, 2012.
Prior to the start of the Aurora theater shooting trial on April 27th, letters have been mailed to 150 decision makers in media companies across the country asking them to adopt a No Notoriety editorial policy, starting immediately, so copycat killers are sent a strong message: You will not receive fame in this way anymore.
The International Police Association (IPA), the largest & oldest worldwide fraternal police organization and is over 400,000 members strong, consisting of active and retired law enforcement personnel, has also endorsed the effort. The FBI and experts on mass shooters’ behavior believe the desire for notoriety and infamy is one of the key motivating factors of rampage shooters. The FBI as well as other members of law enforcement have previously asked the media not to name these shooters for public safety reasons. This is the first time victims of mass shootings have come together to directly challenge the media.
“The oath of a journalist is to report the truth and do no harm. We are asking the national media to recognize their social responsibility in reporting on any future rampage mass killers and on the upcoming trial in Aurora,” said Tom Teves. “These rampage mass killers seek fame through high profile murder of innocent people. We, as a society, must do everything in our power to change this for the sake of public safety.”
“The media has a tremendous responsibility because they have the unique power to initiate change by valuing and elevating the victims, while at the same time taking away a known motivating factor of notoriety these killers crave,” Caren Teves explained further. “By doing so, media executives, reporters and editors will also show compassion and respect for those of us whose loved ones were killed or injured in these tragedies. For the families whose loved ones were killed and injured, anything else, is just re-victimization.”
Families of those killed in the Aurora theater shooting have reached out to newsrooms in the local Denver media market, and there has been a noticeable shift in coverage away from relentless and sensational media coverage of pushing forth the name and face of the killer. Families are now asking the national media to examine its own editorial policy. The following six spokespeople have agreed to be available for interviews; all others have asked for privacy, please respect their wishes.
- Tom and Caren Teves, parents of 24 year-old Alex Teves, who died heroically in the Aurora Theater protecting his girlfriend from harm. They are also the founders of the No Notoriety effort.
- Coni Sanders, daughter of Dave Sanders, the teacher and coach killed at Columbine High School along with 12 high-school aged children; 21 others were injured.
- Anita Busch, a well-known journalist and cousin of Aurora Theater victim Micayla Medek, one of 12 murdered, including a six year-old girl; 70 others were injured.
- Patricia Maisch, a survivor of the Tucson Mass shooting that killed six people, including a nine year-old girl; 13 others were injured.
- Eric Mace, father of Ryanne Mac, a student killed at Northern Illinois University along with four others on Feb. 14, 2008. 21 others were injured.
ABOUT NO NOTORIETY
The quest for notoriety and infamy is a well-known motivating factor in mass killings and violent copycat crimes. In an effort to reduce future tragedies, No Notoriety calls for responsible media coverage of individuals who commit or attempt acts of mass violence and challenges media outlets to stop the gratuitous use of the name and likeness of mass killers thereby depriving violent individuals the media celebrity and media spotlight they so crave. For more information, visit nonotoriety.com.
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The following is a copy of the letter that was sent to members of the media (incl. addressees):
Dear member of the media,
Parents/family members of those murdered and injured along with those who were shot and/or narrowly escaped being shot themselves in some of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history – Columbine, Virginia Tech, NIU, Tucson, Aurora, Oak Creek Sikh Temple, Newtown, Alturas and Isla Vista – are asking media individuals and media organizations to change the way they report on rampage mass killers, starting with the upcoming Aurora theater shooting trial.
The FBI and experts on mass killers’ behavior believe that one of the motivating factors of rampage mass killers is a desire for notoriety and infamy. The FBI has gone so far as asking the media not to name these shooters because of the rise of copycat killings.
The oath of a journalist is to report the truth and do no harm. We are asking you, as one of the top executives inside the company who can change or influence editorial policy, to recognize your media organization’s social responsibility in the reporting for any future mass shootings and for the trial in Aurora for the greater good of this country.
Public safety must come first. We don’t want others harmed in copycat killings, and we’re sure you don’t either. We are also asking for compassion as to not keep hurting/re-victimizing the victims.
- We respectfully ask that pictures of the 12 murdered and 70 injured – not that of the shooter — are given priority and prominence in your reports and on your Internet news site as the Aurora trial gets underway. In this case since he has admitted to being the gunman, after the initial identification, we ask that instead of using the shooter’s name, you refer to him as ‘gunman,’ “defendant,” or “shooter.”
- We ask you to adopt a new policy in reporting moving forward, one that sends a strong message to potential copy cats that they will not receive fame in this way anymore: Remove the shooter’s name from headlines. Remove or limit the name and likeness of the shooter, except for initial identification and when the alleged assailant is still at large and in doing so would aid in his capture. Refuse to run self-serving manifestos unless doing so will aid in the individual’s capture. Elevate the names and likenesses of all victims killed to send the message their lives are more important than the shooter.
- Stand with our families.
You have long been one of the leaders in news both in the United States and around the world. We are asking that, under your guidance, to once again lead the way in helping to get America back on the right track.
Respectfully,
Tom and Caren Teves, parents of 24 year-old Alex Teves, murdered in the Aurora theater 7/20/2012.
With the parents, family members and individuals from nine of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history:
- Lynnette Alameddine, mother of Ross Alameddine: killed, Virginia Tech University 4/16/07
- Yvonne Alameddine, sister of Ross Alameddine: killed, Virginia Tech University 4/16/07
- Sallie Badger, wife of Colonel Bill Badger: wounded, Safeway Tucson 1/8/11
- Christian Badger, son of Col. Bill D Badger: wounded, Safeway Tucson 1/8/11
- Jeri Bishop, mother of Jamie Bishop: killed, Virginia Tech University 4/16/07
- Michael Bishop, father of Jamie Bishop: killed, Virginia Tech University 4/16/07
- Jim Carney, father of Katelyn Carney: wounded, Virginia Tech University 4/16/07
- Katelyn Carney, self: wounded, Virginia Tech University 4/16/07
- Susan Carney, mother of Katelyn Carney: wounded, Virginia Tech University 4/16/07
- Jena DePooter, sister of Corey DePooter: killed, Columbine HS 4/20/99
- Neal DePooter. father of Corey DePooter: killed, Columbine HS 4/20/99
- Patricia DePooter, mother of Corey DePooter: killed, Columbine HS 4/20/99
- Jane Dougherty, sister of Mary Sherlach: killed, Sandy Hook ES 12/14/12
- Andrew Goddard, father of Colin Goddard: wounded, Virginia Tech University 4/16/07
- Anne Goddard. mother Colin Goddard: wounded, Virginia Tech University 4/16/07
- Roxanna Green, mother of Christina-Taylor Green: killed, Safeway Tucson 1/8/11
- Channing Haas, father of Emily Haas: wounded, Virginia Tech University 4/16/07
- Lori Haas, mother of Emily Haas: wounded, Virginia Tech University 4/16/07
- Sally Harkness, family Veronika Weiss: killed, UCSB, Isla Vista 5/23/14
- Ian Hockley, father of Dylan Hockley: killed, Sandy Hook ES 12/
- Nicole Hockley, mother of Dylan Hockley: killed, Sandy Hook ES 12/14/12
- Dave Jackson, father of Matt McQuinn: killed, Aurora theater 7/20/12
- Jerri Jackson, mother of Matt McQunn: killed, Aurora theater 7/20/12
- Amardeep Kaleka, son of Satwant Singh Kaleka: killed, Oak Creek Sikh Temple 8/05/12
- Pardeep Kaleka, son of Satwant Singh Kaleka: killed, Oak Creek Sikh Temple 8/05/12
- Erica Lafferty Smegielski, daughter of Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung: killed, Sandy Hook ES 12/14/12
- Kathleen Larimer, mother of John T. Larimer: killed, Aurora theater 7/20/12
- Scott Larimer, father of John T. Larimer: killed, Aurora theater 7/20/12
- Mary Kay Mace, mother of Ryanne Mace: killed, Northern Illinois University 2/14/08
- Erik Mace, father of Ryanne Mace: killed, Northern Illinois University 2/14/08
- John Maisch, husband of Patricia Maisch: survivor, Safeway Tucson 1/8/11
- Patricia Maisch, self: survivor, Safeway Tucson 1/8/11
- Richard Martinez, father of Christopher Martinez: killed, UCSB, Isla Vista 5/23/14
- Tom Mauser, father of Daniel Mauser: killed, Columbine HS 4/20/99
- Greg Medek, father of Micayla Medek: killed, Aurora theater 7/20/12
- Rena Medek, mother of Micayla Medek: killed, Aurora theater 7/20/12
- Andrei Nikitchyuk, father of [child] Nikitchyuk: survivor, Sandy Hook ES 12/14/12
- Erin Nikitchyuk, mother of [child] Nikitchyuk: survivor, Sandy Hook ES 12/14/12
- Anita MBusch, family of Micayla Medek: killed, Aurora theater 7/20/12
- Sandy Phillips, mother of Jessica Ghawi: killed, Aurora theater 7/20/12
- Lonnie Phillips, father of Jessica Ghawi: killed, Aurora theater 7/20/12
- Michael Pohle, father of Michael Pohle, Jr.: killed, Virginia Tech University 4/16/07
- Teresa Pohle, mother of Michael Pohle, Jr.: killed, Virginia Tech University 4/16/07
- Harry Pryde, father of Julia Pryde: killed, Virginia Tech University 4/16/07
- Karen Pryde, mother of Julia Pryde: killed, Virginia Tech University 4/16/07
- Emma McMahon, self: survivor, Safeway Tucson 1/8/11
- Mary Reed, self: wounded, Safeway Tucson 1/8/11
- Owen McMahon, self: survivor, Safeway Tucson 1/8/11
- Tom McMahon, self: survivor, Safeway Tucson 1/8/11
- Jeremy Richman, father of Avielle Rose Richman: killed, Sandy Hook ES 12/14/12
- Jennifer Hensel, mother of Avielle Rose Richman: killed, Sandy Hook ES 12/14/12
- Gilles Rousseau, father of Lauren Rousseau: killed, Sandy Hook ES 12/14/12
- Philip Daniel Russo, husband of Shelia Lynn Russo: killed, Alturas 2/20/14
- Joe Samaha, father of Reema Samaha: killed, Virginia Tech University 4/16/07
- Mona Samaha, mother of Reema Samaha: killed, Virginia Tech University 4/16/07
- Coni Sanders, daughter of Dave Sanders: killed, Columbine HS 4/20/99
- Carlos Soto, father of Victoria Leigh Soto: killed, Sandy Hook ES 12/14/12
- Carlos Mathew Soto, brother of Victoria Leigh Soto: killed, Sandy Hook ES 12/14/12
- Donna Soto, mother of Victoria Leigh Soto: killed, Sandy Hook ES 12/14/12
- Jillian Soto, sister of of Victoria Leigh Soto: killed, Sandy Hook ES 12/14/12
- Carlee Soto-Parisi, sister of of Victoria Leigh Soto: killed, Sandy Hook ES 12/14/12
- Caren Teves, mother of Alexander C Teves: killed, Aurora theater 7/20/12
- Thomas Teves, father of Alexander C Teves: killed, Aurora theater 7/20/12
- Rick Townsend, father of Lauren Townsend: killed, Columbine HS 4/20/99
- Sue Townsend, stepmother of Lauren Townsend: killed, Columbine HS 4/20/99
- Jessica Watts, family of Jonathan Blunk: killed, Aurora theater 7/20/12
- Bob Weiss, father of Veronika Weiss: killed, UCSB, Isla Vista 5/23/14
- Colleen Weiss, mother of Veronika Weiss: killed, UCSB, Isla Vista 5/23/14
- Cooper Weiss, brother of Veronika Weiss: killed, UCSB, Isla Vista 5/23/14
- Jackson Weiss, brother of Veronika Weiss: killed, UCSB, Isla Vista 5/23/14
- Jane Weiss, family of Veronika Weiss: killed, UCSB, Isla Vista 5/23/14
- MikeWhite, father of Nicole White: killed, Virginia Tech University 4/16/07
- Tricia White, mother of Nicole White: killed, Virginia Tech University 4/16/07
cc:
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