What did Donald Trump do today?
He actively spread misinformation during an active shooter situation, saying it was over when it wasn't.
At 4:22 p.m. today, Brown University in Rhode Island issued an emergency alert to its campus community about an active shooter. The alert told people to avoid the area if possible, shelter in place if already there, and to be prepared to fight for their lives.
At least two people are believed dead, with others injured.
Within the hour, media reports began to circulate that a suspect was in custody. These reports were false, and Brown's police force sent a second alert at 5:11 urging people to continue to shelter in place.
Further shooting was reported just a few minutes later.
At 5:44, Trump declared that "the suspect was in custody," based on a "briefing" he had received.
At 5:52, Brown University police once again sent out an alert pleading for people in the area to remain in hiding, and that the situation had NOT been resolved.
At 6:03, Trump went on social media again, blaming the Brown police for "reversing" their previous statement, while leaving his earlier false post up.
There is no evidence that Trump was basing his posts on anything other than social media rumor. At no point did Brown University lift its shelter-in-place order, nor did Brown's police force tell anyone that a suspect was in custody or that it was safe to come out of shelter.
The campus remains locked down as of 6:27 p.m. on Saturday evening.
UPDATE: The shelter-in-place order ended at 5:42 a.m. on Sunday morning, twelve hours after Trump first broadcast the false statement that the shooter had already been caught.
Why does this matter?
- Jumping in front of a spotlight and spouting misinformation during an active shooter situation is about as stupid a thing as a president could do under the circumstances.
- The people in danger from an armed attacker were more important than Donald Trump's need for attention.
- It's not the Brown Police Department's fault that Trump fucked this up.