CNN anchor Erin Burnett faced considerable criticism for referring to Shane Tamura, the gunman involved in a deadly shooting spree in Midtown Manhattan, as “possibly white” during a live broadcast.
Tamura killed four people, including an NYPD officer, before taking his own life.
Despite initial police descriptions indicating the suspect might be of Middle Eastern descent, along with security footage suggesting otherwise, Burnett proceeded with her characterization. It was notably misleading.
“They do know what he looks like,” Burnett relayed. “Sunglasses, moustache, male, possibly white.”
CNN described the Manhattan gunman, 27-year-old Shane Tamura of Las Vegas, as “possibly white.”
Tamura, clearly not white, took the life of an NYPD officer and at least four other innocent people on Monday in a Park Avenue building.
You don’t hate legacy media nearly enough. pic.twitter.com/sdfeGJgo4N
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) July 29, 2025
Narrator: He was not, in fact, possibly white.
This racial characterization, which was notably inaccurate (while it’s appropriate to describe a suspect’s race when seeking public assistance to identify and locate them, it’s crucial to avoid being entirely mistaken), was echoed by CNN’s chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst, John Miller.
“They do not know who he is. They know he is a male, possibly white. He’s wearing sunglasses, he appears to have a mustache, and that picture has been distributed to every police officer in New York City,” Miller stated to viewers.
CNN: NYC shooter is “possibly white.” pic.twitter.com/wjpfRZPEfX
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 28, 2025
