According to ABC7 News, police have identified the suspect in the shooting of ice cream vendor Amarjit Kaur as being 15-year-old Peter Montenegro. Kaur was shot once in the chest for not cooperating when Montenegro demanded her money; police speculate Kaur did not understand what Montenegro was asking for, as she is very new to the US. Montenegro is a known member of the Norteno gang, police say. Kaur is now in stable condition after surgery for her wounds.
This story illuminates the serious danger American youth face. Montenegro is only fifteen years old, yet he is already capable of killing another human being in cold blood. This trend is too familiar in American society, with the school shootings of years past and rising crime rates of young adults.
The main news value that makes this story newsworthy is it's proximity. This crime happened just outside a middle school in Vallejo, CA. For many people, this hits home, being that this kind of crime can happen anywhere.
Yes, this story has the news value of proximity, but it also has: immediacy, novelty/surprise (at the suspect's age), impact (makes people wonder if they're safe), and it appeals to our emotions.
ReplyDeleteSo next time, don't stop at one news value.
Check AP style for the correct way to write:
* the US
* fifteen years old
* Vallejo, CA
7.5/10