Media

Globe And Mail, Other Media Outlets Fall For LAX Shooting Hoax

Media Outlets Fall For LAX Shooting Hoax
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Police walk outside Terminal 3 at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday, Nov. 1, 2013. Shots were fired Friday at Los Angeles International Airport, prompting authorities to evacuate a terminal and stop flights headed for the city from taking off from other airports. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)

The Globe and Mail and other media outlets fell for a fake tweet during the shooting at LAX on Friday.

A gunman opened fire near Terminal 3, killing a TSA agent and injuring several other people. As the situation unfolded Friday, a tweet from @HeadIineNews said that former NSA director Michael Hayden had been shot dead at the airport. At the time, the account had the same logo as @BreakingNews.

The Globe and Mail picked up the tweet, and falsely reported, “LAPD is reporting Ex-NSA chief Michael Hayden has been shot dead at LAX. Radical Christian gr0up has claimed responsibility on its website.” The information was attributed to "Reuters and Associated Press" in the byline, though neither outlet had reported it.



Canada's Sun News Network and the BBC also picked up the false story, according to Gawker, but later took it down. The Globe and Mail retracted its story, which now reads, "Reports that a former NSA chief was among the victims appear to be a hoax."

It is the instance of news outlets putting out inaccurate information during breaking news situations. During the Washington Navy Yard shooting in September, for example, television networks got the gunman's name and number of shooters wrong. Those errors came after similar mistakes in Newtown and in Boston.

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Before You Go

LAX Shooting
Gun on the ground(01 of15)
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A police officer stands over what appears to be a high powered rifle in Terminal 3 at LAX on Friday. (credit:Twitter/@TJD19083)
Shuttled to safety(02 of15)
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Passengers were shuttled away from Terminal 3, where eye witnesses said a shooter was firing shots with a high-powered rifle on Friday. (credit:Twitter/@ToryBelleci)
Inside the terminal(03 of15)
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Police assess the situation at LAX on Friday after a gunman allegedly fired shots near Terminal 3 with an assault rifle. (credit:Twitter/@pascaljosh)
LAX Shooting(04 of15)
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An aerial view of LAX which was shut down Friday over reports of gunfire coming from Terminal 3 and at least one gunman. (credit:NBCLA)
Traffic stops(05 of15)
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Traffic is backed up on a Los Angeles highway after LAX was shut down Friday over reports of gunfire coming from Terminal 3 and at least one gunman. (credit:NBCLA)
Outside the terminal(06 of15)
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Outside Terminal 3 at LAX, police cars go rushing by to the scene of gunshots, where at least one gunman has been reported firing shots. (credit:Twitter/@ToryBelleci)
Outisde Terminal 3(07 of15)
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Onlookers wonder how guns got past security as LAX remains on lockdown following reports of a gunman shooting a high-powered rifle near Terminal 3. (credit:Twitter/@ToryBelleci )
Getting to safety(08 of15)
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Those at LAX waiting to board planes are shown being driven to a safer location as reports of a gunman firing a high-powered rifle near Terminal 3 paralyzed the usually bustling airport on Friday. (credit:Twitter/@ToryBelleci)
Emergency crews(09 of15)
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Emergency crews surround LAX as the airport shut down after reports of a gunman firing rounds from a high-powered rifle on Friday. (credit:NBCLA)
Police and S.W.A.T.(10 of15)
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Police and S.W.A.T. members surround the roofs of nearby buildings as reports of a gunman near Terminal 3 at LAX firing shots from a high-powered rifle paralyzed the airport. (credit:NBCLA)
LAX Officer(11 of15)
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An LAX officer on the scene near Terminal 3, where a gunman opened fire with a high-powered rifle, paralyzing the usually bustling airport on Friday. (credit:Twitter/@icruz26 )
No one in, no one out(12 of15)
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Traffic comes to a standstill in Los Angeles after LAX was shut down following reports of a gunman shooting a high powered rifle. (credit:Twitter/CaseyWianCNN)
Triage team sets up(13 of15)
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From CNN's Danielle Dellorto: Shooting at #LAX. Triage team setting up. Red = critical. Yellow = stable/needs treatment. Green = walking wounded. (credit:Twitter/DanielleCNN)
Overview: flights grounded(14 of15)
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A picture of a current live feed of air traffic shows a normally bustling LAX shut down with suspended air travel as planes stay grounded and others in the air go to a different airport. (credit:FlightAware)
Detail: flights grounded(15 of15)
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A picture of a current live feed of air traffic shows a normally bustling LAX shut down with suspended air travel as planes stay grounded and others in the air go to a different airport. (credit:FlightAware)
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