Media Framing of Police Shootings of African American Males in the Black Lives Matters Era

• In Event: Police, Police Shootings, and Perceptions

Abstract

In the wake of police killings of African American male suspects, the Black Lives Matter Movement has gained an enormous amount of support. However, backlash has uncovered either unquestioning support for police behavior or a rejection that African Americans still experience discrimination. This backlash has resulted in cries that All Lives Matter. This study is a content analysis of news coverage of two nationally discussed cases: the police shootings and deaths of Mr. Terence Crutcher on September. 16, 2016 and Mr. Keith Lamont Scott on September. 20, 2016. The study follows the framing of these two cases from the shootings to the public protests. Particular images examined are police legitimacy, police brutality, and police accountability, as well as images of African American males as symbolic assailants or innocent victims and protestors as conscientious protestors or thugs.

Author

• Venessa Garcia, New Jersey City University