Categories applicable:
- Writing
- News Gathering
- Editing
- Web
- Law and Ethics
- News Literacy
Bomb Threat at Mountlake Terrace High School – Dec. 2014/Jan.-Feb. 2015
This was a story regarding a pair of bomb threats that were made to Mountlake Terrace High School on Dec. 4. The first is the initial story which was posted the day of the threats and following evacuation. The second was a story regarding the arrest of the student who is suspected of making the threatening calls. My staff and I took great care in making sure our breaking news and reporting was legally and ethically sound. We consulted with the Student Press Law Center multiple times to understand best practice for covering this crime.
“Police find no explosive devices following two bomb threats”
“Police arrest student in connection to December bomb threats”
In addition to the stories posted online, I was constantly updating our Twitter feed with updates about the situation as it unfolded. We were able to get correct information out to students and families before many local professional media outlets.
Homicide of Former Student Forest Jackson
This story focused on the killing of a beloved graduate of Mountlake Terrace. The suspected killer is also a former student. This story was by no means easy to cover. We had many conversations with our Editorial Board and with the Student Press Law Center to discuss when and what kind of information we would publish. There were many potential legal landmines to navigate in this story.
“New details in homicide of former student”
“Drugs a key factor in former student’s homicide”
“Memorial Service to be held for Jackson”
“Friends, family gather to celebrate the life of Forest Jackson”
Shooting at Seattle Pacific University
These stories were written after a gunman opened fire at Seattle Pacific University, just 20 minutes south of our high school. A recent graduate of Mountlake Terrace High School was one of the principal witnesses to the shooting. These stories represent my ability to localize stories to our community. When covering a large news story (regional, national, global) we always aim to find a local angle to make it relevant to our readers.
“MTHS graduate witnesses SPU shooting: ‘he aimed the gun at us'”
It was later revealed that the suspect had close ties to our school and the Edmonds School District.
Nick Fiorillo 