Washington Gadfly

EXCLUSIVE: WaPo Finally Reports U Chicago Suspect’s Racist Threat Was Racist

Evan Gahr Investigative Journalist
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Shortly after an inquiry to Washington Post executive editor Marty Baron, the paper updated its story on the arrest of Jabari Dean for threatening to shoot University of Chicago students to make clear he specifically targeted whites.

But WaPo did not tell readers that the crucial information was initially omitted.

The original headline said, “Suspect arrested in University of Chicago threat that paralyzed campus.”

The story reported that, “A suspect has been arrested after a top-ranked university had to cancel classes due to a threat of gun violence against its campus community. [Jabari] Dean allegedly wrote a social media post over Thanksgiving weekend in which he stated that he would execute approximately sixteen students or staff members on the campus quad Monday, according to the prosecutor’s office, which cited a complaint and affidavit filed in court.”

Updated headline: “Man arrested for threatening to kill ‘white devils’ at the University of Chicago.”

Even better whitey made the lead this time around. “A 21-year-old college student has been arrested for threatening to “execute aproximately [sic] 16 white male students and or staff” at the University of Chicago, and then “any number of white policemen,” to avenge the fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald, according to a criminal complaint and affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago.”

At the bottom is one italicized sentence, “This story has been updated.”

Not so fast, Marty. How about acknowledging the switcheroo instead of trying to pretend the racist angle is new information? “Updated” generally means new developments.

Baron should also explain why reporters Lindsey Beh and Elahe Izadi initially omitted that the suspect allegedly targeted whites. Did they not bother to read the actual complaint filed with his arrest? And only relied on the press release from that failed to mention the suspect targeted whites?

Or knowingly leave it out so the paper can continue to whitewash anti-white racism?

Either way, this will undoubtedly not be the last time that the Washington Post keeps readers in the dark about such racial injustice.

Barron did not immediately reply to an email this evening. But hopefully he won’t scurry away again or hang up when asked about this latest example of his paper’s racial double standards later on down the road.