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US arrests Washington state man over Tumbler Ridge school shooting conspiracy

US authorities arrested James Cody Bryant, 30, in Washington state on a charge of conspiracy to murder people in a foreign country, accusing Bryant of advising and agreeing to live stream the Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia school shooting.

5 outlets · 1L · 1C · 3R First reported Account updated
Image: Arab News
Image: Al Jazeera
Image: Just the News
Image: Washington Examiner

1 / 4

The story, neutrally told

Mixed · 2US authorities arrested James Cody Bryant, 30, in Washington state on Tuesday on a charge of conspiracy to murder people in a foreign country, in connection with the Tumbler Ridge school shooting in British Columbia, Canada, according to the Department of Justice. Right · 1The charge carries a penalty of up to life in prison, and court records did not immediately list an attorney for Bryant. Mixed · 2Officials allege Bryant was in repeated contact with the shooter, Jesse Van Rootselaar, offering technical advice, sending money (including for shoes to be used in the attack) and agreeing to live stream the event; Hindustan Times reports the contact lasted about six months before the February attack.

Mixed · 2Acting US Attorney for the Western District of Washington Neil Floyd said Bryant had the information and ability to alert law enforcement and even discussed doing so with the shooter, but chose not to. Right · 1Mike Herrington, FBI Seattle special agent in charge, said Bryant agreed to broadcast the attack in a way that would maximise notoriety for the shooter, and that without Bryant's willingness to operate the live stream it is not known whether the shooter would have gone through with the crime. Right · 1Officials said the live stream on Twitch was shut down after about 20 seconds, and that the shooter, who had few social media followers, was depending on Bryant to amplify it.

Right · 1Nine people, mostly children, were killed in the shooting, one of Canada's worst mass shootings: police say the 18-year-old shooter killed a mother and stepbrother at home, then a teacher and five young students at the former school in Tumbler Ridge, a settlement of about 2,400, before dying by suicide. Centre · 1The allegations are contained in a US federal criminal complaint; Bryant has not been convicted.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.

Left1 outlet

No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.

Centre1 outlet

Framing
Profile-style, 'who is' explainer focused on the accused and the allegations, flagged as an updating story.
Emphasis
Bryant's Bellingham residence, the six-month contact, the federal complaint and the presumption of innocence.
Leaves out or plays down
Omits the charge's penalty, Twitch stream details, FBI and prosecutor quotes and victim details.
For example
“Who is James Cody Bryant? Washington resident accused of helping Canada Tumbler Ridge school shooter before attack” — Hindustan Times

Right3 outlets

Framing
Straight news report built on officials' statements at a press briefing.
Emphasis
Official quotes on Bryant's failure to alert police, the live stream and the shooter's reliance on amplification; victim toll and shooter background.
Leaves out or plays down
Does not give Bryant's city or the six-month contact period, or note that the allegations are in a complaint and unproven.
Charged language
“misplaced loyalty”
For example
““Without Bryant’s misplaced loyalty and willingness to operate the live stream, we don’t ultimately know if the shooter would have gone through with the crime,” Herrington said.” — Arab News