Falsely Identified as Boston Bombing Suspect, Sunil Tripathi Found Dead

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US News • Views: 34,138

It was confirmed today that the body of missing Brown University student Sunil Tripathi has been discovered in the Providence River.

Tripathi was falsely identified as a suspect in the Boston bombings. The Atlantic has a piece tracing how this misinformation spread throughout the media: It Wasn’t Sunil Tripathi: The Anatomy of a Misinformation Disaster.

The media aren’t blameless; they jumped into the feeding frenzy with both feet. But many right wing bloggers who leaped on this false report have not even bothered to correct or update their posts; for example, anti-Muslim demagogue Pamela Geller.

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23 comments
1 HappyWarrior  Thu, Apr 25, 2013 10:14:51am

I feel so bad for his family and friends.

2 Vicious Babushka  Thu, Apr 25, 2013 10:17:09am

How long was he in the river?

3 lawhawk  Thu, Apr 25, 2013 10:19:13am

Charles,

Clicking back through her site, I found that she did insert a caution on her April 19 posting identifying Sunil Tripathi as one of the suspects but not this one. Don’t know when she did that, but she’s not consistent in the slightest.

Nor does she apparently care, considering that it’s been how long since we knew that Sunil wasn’t involved?

4 HappyWarrior  Thu, Apr 25, 2013 10:20:10am

re: #2 Vicious Babushka

How long was he in the river?

We’ll probably know soon. That’s the kind of thing they figure out in the autopsy.

5 klys  Thu, Apr 25, 2013 10:24:16am

re: #2 Vicious Babushka

How long was he in the river?

My gut feeling is a while, based on some of the wording in articles yesterday (when the find was announced but before identification).

6 Targetpractice  Thu, Apr 25, 2013 10:24:19am

Last week seemed to be a study in how both the “Old” and “New” media are susceptible to the need to be “first” with an “exclusive” whenever a major event happens.

7 Vicious Babushka  Thu, Apr 25, 2013 10:25:24am

Meanwhile, the Derp continues about the Saudi kid, now they’re claiming that he’s the SON OF OSAMA.

8 Kragar  Thu, Apr 25, 2013 10:27:14am

re: #7 Vicious Babushka

Meanwhile, the Derp continues about the Saudi kid, now they’re claiming that he’s the SON OF OSAMA.


2123B: Beck Inadvertently Throws a Wrench Into His Own Boston Bombing Conspiracy

Beck has been waiving around a photo of the first page of this event file and, given that this 2123B designation has been the crux of his conspiracy theory, he even went so far as to create a #2123B hashtag on Twitter for his followers to use to promote the story.

So it was odd to watch this interview on his program last night with a retired Immigration and Naturalization Service Special Agent named Bob Trent who was clearly unfamiliar with the conspiracy theory Beck has been promoting all week and, as a result, undercut much of Beck’s 2123B narrative.

Beck has been insisting that Alharbi was designated 2123B after being interviewed and having his apartment searched, but Trent told Beck that that made no sense, as this designation is something that applies to foreign nationals before they ever come to this country and is designed to prevent them from entering:

9 BigPapa  Thu, Apr 25, 2013 10:27:36am

The right wing bloggers have blood on their keyboards.

10 abolitionist  Thu, Apr 25, 2013 10:29:14am

Breaking: Sloppy news reporting has consequences.

11 klys  Thu, Apr 25, 2013 10:29:26am

re: #9 Kronocide

The right wing bloggers have blood on their keyboards.

Are you saying that in reference to this particular case?

12 Vicious Babushka  Thu, Apr 25, 2013 10:30:38am

re: #8 Kragar


2123B: Beck Inadvertently Throws a Wrench Into His Own Boston Bombing Conspiracy

Thanks for that. Tweeted.

13 Vicious Babushka  Thu, Apr 25, 2013 10:31:11am

re: #12 Vicious Babushka

Thanks for that. Tweeted.

Of course wingnuts will cry LIBRUL SITE CANT BE TRUSTED!!11!!

14 BigPapa  Thu, Apr 25, 2013 10:31:30am

re: #11 klys

Are you saying that in reference to this particular case?

Yes. A sensible assumption.

15 klys  Thu, Apr 25, 2013 10:34:40am

re: #14 Kronocide

Sunil had actually been missing for a month by the time of the marathon bombings, and was on approved leave from Brown University. News reports have stated that he was dealing with depression. Some reports have indicated that there was a note left behind when he left his apartment without his wallet or phone.

I do feel strongly for his family but I don’t think the evidence supports an assumption of foul play, unless it happened that night after he left his apartment - well before his name was ever mentioned in connection with the bombing, or even before the bombings took place.

16 Political Atheist  Thu, Apr 25, 2013 10:41:21am

Death by RW media. How terribly sad.

Famous falsely accused people, a list much longer than it should be. And these people were accused by more than media.
Paged

17 Bulworth  Thu, Apr 25, 2013 10:46:00am

re: #8 Kragar

I realize anything from Beck is Derpapalooza, but just so I understand, the Saudi National isn’t being deported, wasn’t on a watch list prior to the bombing and since he is already in this country, cannot have the 2123B designation or whatever it is that prevents U.S. entry?

18 lawhawk  Thu, Apr 25, 2013 10:48:18am

It’s possible that Sunil died after seeing his name plastered by media outlets and claiming he was one of those involved in the Boston bombings, but given that he disappeared in mid-March, it’s also possible that he died before the bombings occurred. A medical examiner will have to sort out the time of death.

Regardless, though, the media ran his family through the wringer - claiming that he was one of the suspects and took their sweet time before issuing corrections (if at all). They aren’t blameless and ought to be held accountable.

19 leftynyc  Thu, Apr 25, 2013 10:56:06am

re: #18 lawhawk

It’s possible that Sunil died after seeing his name plastered by media outlets and claiming he was one of those involved in the Boston bombings, but given that he disappeared in mid-March, it’s also possible that he died before the bombings occurred. A medical examiner will have to sort out the time of death.

Regardless, though, the media ran his family through the wringer - claiming that he was one of the suspects and took their sweet time before issuing corrections (if at all). They aren’t blameless and ought to be held accountable.

That would especially be true if it’s found he’s only been dead since the marathon. Being accused of being the bomber could have pushed him over the edge in which case the media has a lot of explaining to do.

20 klys  Thu, Apr 25, 2013 10:56:12am

From yesterday:

The body appeared to be a male in his twenties and had “been in the water for a while,” said Commander Thomas Oates of the Providence Police Department.

Info about a note:

Sunil Tripathi, former member of the class of 2012, was discovered missing Sunday morning when a friend of Tripathi’s found a note suggestive of suicidal intent with his belongings in his apartment, said Tripathi’s sister Sangeeta Tripathi ’04.

What the media did to the family was wrong and inexcusable, but I’m fairly certain his death is not something that can be laid at their feet.

21 Charles Johnson  Thu, Apr 25, 2013 11:01:03am

re: #20 klys

From yesterday:

Info about a note:

What the media did to the family was wrong and inexcusable, but I’m fairly certain his death is not something that can be laid at their feet.

I agree - it does not look like the false ID was related to his death. I think we’ll probably find out that he died shortly after going missing.

22 klys  Thu, Apr 25, 2013 11:04:37am

re: #21 Charles Johnson

I agree - it does not look like the false ID was related to his death. I think we’ll probably find out that he died shortly after going missing.

Agreed.

Lindsay Lague, a spokesperson for the Providence Police Department, told ABCNews.com, “There is no foul play suspected.”

I truly hope that his family will be able to find some peace and comfort now with some closure.

23 Kragar  Thu, Apr 25, 2013 11:08:09am

re: #17 Bulworth

I realize anything from Beck is Derpapalooza, but just so I understand, the Saudi National isn’t being deported, wasn’t on a watch list prior to the bombing and since he is already in this country, cannot have the 2123B designation or whatever it is that prevents U.S. entry?

Pretty much.


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