Reporters monitoring a deadly shooting in California Wednesday were quick to assure audiences that a local Planned Parenthood clinic had not been targeted.
Though the site they were concerned about was more than a mile away, several tweeted about its proximity as if that was a major facet of the shooting story.
One news producer said the clinic was “around the corner” from where authorities responded Wednesday to reports of an active shooter. Another journalist meanwhile said it was “across the street.” But the Planned Parenthood facility referenced by these reporters is located approximately 1.5 miles away from the Inland Regional Center, a facility for persons with developmental disabilities, where reportedly masked gunmen shot and killed 14 people.
“Location listed is around the corner from the San Bernardino #PlannedParenthood,” tweeted CBS News producer Mikaela Bufano.
Bloomberg Business tweeted from its official account, “San Bernardino shooting happened less than two miles from a Planned Parenthood health clinic.”
A local CBS News affiliate tweeted from its main account, “ON THE LIVE CHANNEL NOW- KABC ground shots in San Bernardino CA, site of reported mass shooting at or near Planned Parenthood clinic. KABC.”
The Fresno Bee’s Rory Appleton added, “San Bernardino shooting is a few blocks north of the city’s planned parenthood. Ugh.”
They were followed quickly by two reporters from a local Fox News affiliate.
“San Bernardino police responding to shooting that has ‘mass casualties’ as many as 20 people wounded. A planned parenthood may be involved,” tweeted Fox 11 reporter Marla Tellez.
Fellow reporter Araksya Karapetyan got in on the action, writing, “possibly as many as 20 people wounded… perhaps shot…. may be at or near a Planned Parenthood center in San Bernardino.”
“Unclear if shooting is at a Planned Parenthood… but hearing of a shooting in San Bernardino,” she added.
Their unverified claims soon turned into an avalanche of tweets from reporters rushing to assure readers that the San Bernardino Planned Parenthood clinic had not, in fact, come under attack.
The Huffington Post’s Jennifer Bendery reported, “Planned Parenthood near San Bernardino shootings says they’re fine, no gun violence there, per MSNBC.”
“[S]hooting at Inland Regional Center. Sheriff confirms no connection to nearby Planned Parenthood,” tweeted Stephanie Grady, a reporter for a local Fox News affiliate.
NBC News’ Tom Winter made sure to report, “It is early, however, there is NO indication at this time that the shooting has happened at the Planned Parenthood in San Bernardino.”
CNBS’ Ben Berkowitz wrote, “Contrary to some reports, Planned Parenthood in San Bernardino confirms to @CNBC they are fine, not the location of shooting.”
The rush to check on whether a clinic had been attacked comes less than a week after a gunman opened fire on a Planned Parenthood facility in Colorado Springs, Colo., killing three and injuring several more. Many Democrats have blamed Republican rhetoric for that shooting, since Republicans have been looking to defund the group.
