Social Media Hurting Emergency Response Protocol, Officials Speak out after Lennox Shooting
Rachel Skytta, KDLT News
It's been less than a week since the deadly shooting at Protec Engineering in Lennox, but Lincoln County officials are already reviewing the incident to see how they can better handle other emergency situations in the future.
However, they say some factors, like the use of social media, are simply out of their hands. While journalists used social media to get the word out quickly and keep people informed, officials say it was also used in a negative way that ended up working against them.
It's a fine line for law enforcement. How much information is too much when lives are on the line.
Harold Timmerman, Lincoln County Emergency Management, and several other law enforcement officials found themselves in a tough place, trying to keep the public informed while dealing with a dangerous situation.
Lennox Police Chief Orville Jorgensen says there was a good amount of misinformation circulating social media as the situation progressed.
Timmerman points out that even the correct information getting out too soon can cause a problem.
Timmerman says Lincoln County officials will begin reviewing the shooting in the near future, and discuss ways they can improve emergency response protocol if a similar situation ever happens again.
For more on what Timmerman, Jorgenson said about social media, read Rachel Skytta's complete story.
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