The general public as well as media houses have been advised to desist from sharing false information.
This advice came from the commissioner of police Colin John during a press briefing on Thursday following Wednesday night’s mass shooting.
Commissioner John said there were several false reports of additional shootings in other areas on the same night, which caused hysteria and even lead to police utilizing resources unnecessarily.
“Last night, the media and the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and must I say, the world, was bombarded with different information, or misinformation from members of the public and even some media houses, about several shootings in different parts of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. I am strongly encouraging persons to desist from those malicious information or sending our false information to the public that can cause alarm,” he said.
Commissioner John also spoke about the effect the spreading of false information has on the police force’s resources.
“It can also result in the police utilizing resources that are very scarce, in fact, last night we had to physically go to several locations that these things were reported to verify they were not the truth,” he noted.
Commissioner John called on the general public and media houses to verify information with the relevant authorities so that “the public will not be fed with false information,”