Whenever there’s a horrific attack on civilians, someone in the room has to be the first to jump up and caution the public against jumping to conclusions. On Thursday, after eyewitnesses described a truck driver deliberately accelerating into a crowd in Nice, France, and zig-zagging to kill as many people as possible, Vox world correspondent Zack Beauchamp volunteered to be that person.
https://twitter.com/zackbeauchamp/status/753715866080989185
Thank you for signaling your virtue. We all appreciate everything you're doing for yourself. MT @zackbeauchamp A caution about Nice:
— Alex S. (@Alex_94706) July 14, 2016
https://twitter.com/Alivak1/status/753722744362065920
Untangling motives can be a tricky business that sometimes leaves even world leaders stumped.
https://twitter.com/mashudsworld/status/753719174862692352
As real as the bridge connecting Gaza and the West Bank.
https://twitter.com/Beer__Wolf/status/753716892150431744
That burn is never going to heal, is it?
https://twitter.com/DavidTHogan/status/753720842182287361
your right. It was probably the police.
— brent mohrman (@motrbotr) July 14, 2016
right. it was just a French driver reading @voxdotcom on her iPhone.
— Patrick Walsh (@PWalshMusic) July 14, 2016
Yes. Because the drivers of runaway vehicles are often known to fire on police. It's a completely rational response.
— Nieds Dead Horse (@NDH_j_m_f) July 14, 2016
https://twitter.com/MsTriscuit/status/753723191776817152
It could be a customer of McDonalds really pissed off because they screwed up his order again. People are on edge these days
— Winston Smith (@JoPauCor) July 14, 2016
I admire your determination to believe in the face of overwhelming contrary evidence. Worthy of a Christian martyr.
— Tom Cobley-Hobbes (@HobbesianM) July 14, 2016
but if you had to lay odds, it would be about 99 to 1, wouldn't it?
— OJsBar&GrillRegular (@OJBarGrillRglr) July 14, 2016
It's Muslim terrorists. I got 20 bucks that say so. @zackbeauchamp
— Keep Calm and Carry (@johnnyfriegas) July 14, 2016
.@zackbeauchamp My money’s on a Muslim male aged 18-45. https://t.co/CwjgqoDItq
— DC Dude (@DCDude1776) July 14, 2016
You're right. It's probably an NRA plot to have right-wing extremists infiltrate French trucking industry. Seriously, guy?
— Reuenthal_800 (@MAurelius161180) July 14, 2016
https://twitter.com/peacocksofcolor/status/753723786935934976
At least one witness saying the driver came out shooting, so odds that it's terrorism looking pretty good
— Will Slaughter (@MilwaukeeBonds) July 14, 2016
what kind of terrorism is unclear, but ramming a crowd with a truck then dying in a gunfight is pretty clearly terrorism.
— James Garcia Alver (@JayAlver) July 14, 2016
https://twitter.com/filmfresser/status/753728968818167809
Apparently French authorities don’t read Vox …
UPDATE: Anti-terrorist investigators take over Nice attack probe: French media citing prosecutor
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 14, 2016
New reports say that the truck that was driven into the crowded street was loaded with arms and grenades. Maybe now it’s OK to venture a guess that it was terrorism? Or would that be premature?
no it's actually smart and ok to infer, it's how humans survive
— Andrew Michael (@AndrewM1chael) July 14, 2016
Exit question:
have you given American law enforcement the same courtesy?
— BJ (@gibbybj) July 14, 2016
Related:
Vox-er who ran with bogus Gaza bridge story urges skepticism about #MH17 crash