Tips & Tools

Homicide

"If it bleeds it leads." The death of one human being at the hand of another is a story that journalists are expected to tell. What are the special challenges posed by these stories of fatal violence? What can reporters learn about interviewing, creating a meaningful context for understanding a personal and communal trauma, about the long trajectory of murder in the lives of survivors?

Dart Resources

  • Video Feature

    Homicide on Campus: Student Journalists Reflect

    By Sue Lockett John

    Sacramento State Hornet student journalists were among the first to arrive at the scene where a California State University, Sacramento, student was beaten to death and his alleged assailant was shot by police. In this video produced by photojournalist Brian Feulner, four editors recall their actions and reactions in covering the tragic event.

  • In Depth

    Cumbria Shootings: Making Sense of the Senseless

    By Gavin Rees

    A mass shooting in Britain leads a wounded community to wonder why. The director of Dart Centre Europe  reflects on the story and offers resources for journalists.

  • In Depth

    Caught in the Crossfire

    By Sheila S. Coronel

    Newsgatherers have become collateral damage in the blood-drenched politics of the southern Philippines. Dozens of journalists were among 57 reported slain in the Nov. 23, 2009 massacre in Mindanao. 

  • In Depth

    Myths of Fort Hood

    By Bruce Shapiro

    Journalists seeking an easy answer in PTSD threaten to obscure the real story of Army psychiatrist Nidal Malik Hasan's rampage.

  • Behind the Story

    Making Sense of George Tiller

    By Eyal Press

    Learning from the last time a physician who performs abortions was murdered.

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