'Tragic domestic incident' say police - surely that is an awful description (warning - upsetting news story)

[EverythingCounts]

A seven year old girl has been shot in the head, and is 'gravely ill'.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/sep/12/girl-six-shot-northiam-east-sussex

It seems that the person who shot her was her father, who then shot himself. And the police describe this as a 'tragic domestic incident'? Is it just me or is that far too sympathetic a description? I think 'abhorrent violent crime' would be more appropriate. But hey, let's not forget to show sensitivity towards men who shoot kids!

Try to imagine how awful that father must have felt in the days / weeks / years leading up to this. How bad must his suffering have been to commit such a terrible crime?

It is abhorrent and violent and awful - but I don't believe anyone in their right mind would do such a thing. So he must surely deserve some sympathy too?

Sympathy?

Dear god.

Or maybe he's a horrible man who did it to 'spite' his ex in the most horrendous way possible. That happens too Twitterqueen.

He was a horrible man! that should be.

Random exclamation mark there.
I'll shut up now.

I would think a 'tragic domestic incident' would mean that somebody's favourite mug got smashed to pieces accidentally, or something like that. Dear god indeed. That poor kid, and poor anyone else who was living in the house.

Disgraceful mealy-mouth description from the police

Some people are just twats. We need to stop making apologies for violence.

I think the 'domestic' bit was put in those terms as immediate assurance to the public that there are no further suspects being sought and no chance there is a killer on the loose who might arrive at another house at and shoot an occupant.

And of course they are very constrained in what they can say in the immediate aftermath of an incident when investigation is only just beginning.

I would hope for considerably plainer language at the conclusion of the investigation.

I think it is a tragic domestic incident. The shooter's dead, a child is gravely injured and something's gone horribly and tragically wrong in a domestic setting. The police always have to be circumspect about the language used at the early stage of an investigation so as not to prejudice any future trial. The press and social media will fill in with the outrage and hyperbole quick enough.

I agree with Cogito. It's a description that gives little information but makes it clear that if wasn't an act of terrorism for example.

I agree OP. Why can't they just say 'We are not looking for anyone else in connection with the shooting?' That would make the public aware there isn't a gunman on the loose without using a phrase that minimalises a violent crime.

Twitterqueen it has been reported that the father wasn't even supposed to know the mother and child's address. That sounds more like an abuser than a poor man driven to despair and deserving of sympathy.

No he doesn't deserve sympathy. It is far more common (as in 99% of cases) that the man kills his children and then himself to get back at an ex. Because his wife and children have been taken out of the sphere of his influence and control. And that man will have been an abusive partner/father prior to the murder.

The wording, as usual, in these cases is terrible. It minimises the crime and doesn't name the problem. Male violence is a problem. Male violence against women and children is a problem. Men need to start owning this. I don't care that 'not all men do this'. Enough men do it. 3 women have been beheaded by men in London in the last six months. More women have been killed through DV than men through war. The dots need to be joined.

So no I don't have sympathy for him or any other abusive fucker with a sense of entitlement.

There is something very tragic about a man shooting his child.

If feels a bit uncomfortable to be speculating about it to me, as we have no idea, but even if he did do it to punish an ex, something has gone very wrong for him to think that was a necessary or logical course of action. It's not the action of a man with sound mental health IMO and is tragic for all concerned.

I should imagine if it has happened that recently, the Police will barely know the details themselves.
When a violent crime is against family members, I believe 'domestic' is the term generally used.

I really don't understand this thread at all.

The police are always and consistently circumspect in the early hours following a violent crime and it doesn't matter whether it's men, women or children involved. It doesn't mean in the slightest they are minimising violent crime or showing sympathy to perpetrators. They have to avoid giving too many details for legal reasons. I remember when that poor solider was run down and murdered in Woolwich. The early statements were all about a 'tragic incident'. Is anyone suggesting the police are sympathetic to blood-thirsty terrorists?

I imagine they've used that phrase to reassure the public there isn't some random killer at large going round shooting children.

It is tragic, and 'domestic incident' is probably used in the context of 'family on family' murder rather than 'stranger on child'.

Awful awful event whichever way it's reported

I would agree it doesn't sound quite right, but I think it's probably a suitable description so early on. Police must need to establish exactly what went on before they can reveal anything more specific, but at the same time limit any scaremongering.

I knew what this would be about before I clicked on it from watching the news.

I agree that "domestic incident" is one of those terms which is like a code.

A few things.

Firstly, and most importantly all my concern and sympathy is for the young girl who's been shot and I hope she will recover. Also for her poor mum.

Secondly no, I don't have any sympathy for this disgusting creature and I've got no wish to understand him or make mealy mouthed excuses for his act of appalling violence and cruelty.

Finally, can we please not make the assumption that the man "must" have been mentally ill. There's no must about it and that does a disservice to the vast majority of people with mental issues who are far more likely to be the victims of violence than the perpetrators.

*with mental health issues

I agree flippinada. This man is unlikely to have mental health issues.

It's minimising because it sounds like some kind of accident. And as the OP says it implies sympathy is due to both people involved. It was attempted murder. And I'd probably be more inclined to agree with you if the wording was likely to change significantly in the days/weeks to come. But it won't.

We don't know it as attempted murder, that's the whole point of using a word like 'incident' (which is really not the same as 'accident'). It also hasn't been confirmed if there was a relationship between the child and the man. There are a few possible ways that a child and a man in the same house could receive gunshot wounds, some less likely than others admittedly. There is no sympathy implied, quite the opposite. We are simply - as always from police statements - getting the very baldest and most unemotional of base-line facts.

Yes, I understand why they use the term, but I do think it's inappropriate.

I don't think tragic is an appropriate word to use because that implies it was something awfully sad but completely unintentional and/or accidental.

There's nothing unintentional or accidental about shooting a child in the head.

i feel the same way about him as I did that vile woman who murdered her boy recently.
I have no sympathy at all for him.
but wonder if there will be a cry for compassion like on that thread

I think the whole thing is abhorrent and awful. It is an incredibly tragic event; domestic as it is within the family.

What does make me cross though.... when a woman kills her children we are immediately expected to have sympathy and look for reasons or excuses. When a man kills his children we are immediately expected to consider him evil and abusive.

At present we don't really know the full story.

Wow thats dreadful id ne tempted yo complain about the wording