The 24-Hour Rule

I've written about The 24-Hour Rule before, but it's time to talk about how large an impact, it could have, in relation to social media's more common responses to current events. 

......

On Thanksgiving night, The Riverchase Galleria, in Hoover, Alabama, was open for early sales during the busiest week of Holiday Shopping, and, Black Friday.

A shooting occurred during this time.

Several people were injured, an 18-year-old male was shot, a 12-year-old female was shot, and a 21-year-old man was shot and killed by a Hoover Police Officer.

Notice on CNN's article, the headline still claims the gunman responsible for shooting the other two people was shot.

Claims the shooting happened after an altercation over tennis shoes had to be recanted.

"I’m not sure where the tennis shoes angle started but there is absolutely no evidence that there was a fight over shoes and Brian (Wilson) had not purchased tennis shoes that night. Tennis shoes had nothing to do with it."

Staying on focus with the events on the night of the shooting. Let it be known, Mr. Bradford was not the only shopper at The Riverchase Galleria with a gun.

For those who don't know, the state of Alabama passed concealed carry legislation in 2013.

Of course, this is what Alabama conservatives believe is the right course of action in response to multiple mass shootings occurring in public areas in the past. Arm responsible citizens, because it will prevent these kinds of events from happening, occurring, or escalating ever again, right?

Feel free to have the right to concealed carry, as long as you fully understand what, The Hoover Police Department thinks about this idea, actually being applied.

"If you look nationally at all nonsense, and I call it nonsense, that happens, for some reason, people think that when they engaged in some sort of altercation, it’s ok to pull out a gun and shoot somebody. It’s not. Thank God we don’t have it often. I would hope people were coming out on a holiday night to enjoy themselves and not engage in the type of nonsense we had tonight." - Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis 

Also, understand, Emantic Bradford, Jr. was described as a suspect to the shooting and the police officer who shot and killed Mr. Bradford was a hero.

"The Hoover police officer actually was running to the scene, he heard gunshots, he was obviously very near the scene, he actually shot and killed the person who injured the other person." - Hoover Police Captain Gregg Rector

The 21-year-old man who was shot and killed, his name was Emantic Bradford, Jr. and the gun he had the lawful right to concealed carry, was never fired.

"They shot the wrong man!" - The Washington Post
"Alabama Police Admit to Fatally Targeting the Wrong Man in Thanksgiving Mall Shooting" - TIME
"They killed him for no reason." - ABC News

Emantic Bradford, Jr. was, in fact, a friend of Brian Wilson, the 18-year-old man who was shot.

Mr. Bradford's family was not contacted by The Hoover Police Department, the body cam footage was not released, and the investigation has already been turned over to the Alabama State Investigative Department, due to a conflict of interest.

Of course, these events led to protests. 

"Riverchase Galleria shooting: Protesters shut down Highway, march to mall" - AL.com
"Mall shooting protest shuts down Highway 31 in Hoover Monday night" - WVTM13.com (NBC)

......

"Why does everyone say the man was shot by the police because he was black? As if his race is the most important part of the story." 

I saw this question on Reddit. I think it's most important for me to say, I'm not going to focus on Emantic Bradford, Jr.'s race. Yes, he was a black man, and yes, he was shot by a police officer. People on social media, and in general, are desensitized to these kinds of stories because the focus almost immediately goes to the race of the victim. In turn, it makes the situation less meaningful because the disconnection is already written into the story. The narrative then becomes, you don't have to worry about this happening to you, because you're not black. End of story. Moving on.

This can happen to other people, but it is true, it hardly ever does.

The Capitalist response to Mr. Bradford being shot and killed is disgusting. To reopen The Riverchase Galleria less than 24 hours later, is a clear disregard for Mr. Bradford's life, his family, and his friends. It's a crime scene for the next few days, it's no longer just a shopping mall during the busiest shopping days of the year. If you cared so much about these kinds of issues coming up during this time, maybe there should've been more energy and money spent to make sure guns were banned from the mall in the first place.

About the tennis shoe angle. Yeah, I get it. Maybe the other gentleman was just trying to be nice and mention he doesn't know where it came from, but I do. It's because Emantic Bradford, Jr. was a black man. I'm also aware Mr. Bradford was shot and killed right outside of the Footaction storefront, but this isn't the reason why. I know it to be true, and if people are so upset about the shooting turning into a different or larger issue because of Mr. Bradford's race, then don't breathe life into the false narrative about an altercation over tennis shoes.

It's also known Mr. Bradford wasn't the only shopper who possessed a gun on Thanksgiving Night. With Alabama's concealed carry law, this is what active shooter situations may end up to look like. Many people were warned about these exact potential consequences, and the legislation still passed. Say whatever you want, but this is what Alabama conservatives wanted. The only difference is, they wanted "Cousin Woodrow Saban" to be "the hero", instead of someone like Emantic Bradford, Jr.

You can be a gun enthusiast if you want to, but it's better to be a white gun fanatic in Alabama.

Also, Emantic Bradford, Jr.'s Facebook profile was brought into question. Why? Because it was under Li Glock. Again, you can be openly ammosexual, under the right circumstances.

The protests were mostly an inconvenience. The worst thing you can be in Alabama is an inconvenience. As an openly gay, liberal, atheist living in Alabama, trust me on this one.

This also goes for those people who want to comment on Alabama but, don't live in Alabama and believe racism, homophobia, or other phobias, isms, and ists don't exist here anymore.

The Confederate Flag, Bree Newsome took down from the South Carolina State House, is a napkin compared to the one flying high, about 10 miles outside the town I live in.

The Civil War Statue in Charlottesville, West Virginia, is nothing compared to the one still standing downtown in front of the courthouse here in town. 

"Why does the media keep using the photo of his in a military uniform? He didn't even serve."

I found this information out after researching a Facebook comment.

The comment is correct. Emantic Bradford, Jr. did not serve in the military. Does it matter? Is this the reason he was shot and killed? Is he less of a human being for not serving in the military?

I would imagine it's because it's his family's favorite photo of him, seems how they often show up for interviews with it in hand.

I don't understand the point of this information being passed around, as if it has any bearing on the details of what happened at all.

"Why isn't the media talking to the other victims of the shooting? Why are they focusing on Mr. Bradford?"

"Family of 18-year-old shot in Hoover Galleria speaks out" - CBS42.com
"Family of teen injured in Hoover mall shooting releases first public statement" - WVTM13 (NBC)

......

Now having almost a full week's worth of information, the full story behind Emantic Bradford, Jr's shooting is still unknown. The actual shooter is still at large.

Start using The 24-Hour Rule when it comes to interacting on social media. Use the first 24 hours, to research, read, and listen to those who are directly affected. Not, "Karen on Facebook".

To be the kind of person who would go out of the way to make comments about this shooting without personally knowing Mr. Bradford or anyone else involved, is wrong.

To comment on his military service, his Facebook profile, or his intentions within 24 hours of his death is not what social media is for.