Analysis:
This story runs like most local crime coverage, it is presented from the perspective of the police. The news reader says that police responded to an assault charge, but there was never any mention that the suspect was armed. The video b-roll shows a Black man coming out of a house drinking what appears to be a bottle of alcohol. He then kneels and is cuffed by police officers.
What viewers should ask themselves is what purpose does it serve to show footage of a SWAT Team in an inner city neighborhood, arresting a Black man who appears to be un armed? It would be reasonable to conclude that White audiences might interpret this as urban Black are dangerous, and Black and other minority audiences might interpret this as police brutality or unnecessary force. GRIID has documented that local TV crime coverage disproportionately shows Blacks and Latinos as crime suspects, but with overall news coverage minorities are underrepresented.
Story:
WOOD TV 8 news reader – A police stand-off in Grand Rapids southeast side is over. Earlier tonight a SWAT team surrounded the home at the 1700 block of Silver Avenue. It began when police responded to a report of an assault. When they arrived the man ran into the home. It took teams on the scene about an hour to persuade the man to surrender himself to authorities.
Total Time: 21 seconds
