California Mass Shooting- Biased Editing?

[eddiememphis]

https://www.foxnews.com/us/californi...-year-festival

Sources told Fox News that police believe the two incidents are connected and that they know the suspected gunman's identity. The sources said a "high-powered assault rifle" was used.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/multiple-d...ry?id=96592246

The gunman opened fire shortly after entering a dance hall, where people had been celebrating the holiday, police said. It was unclear what type of weapon he used, police said.

[theGinsue]

The sources said a "high-powered assault rifle" was used.

I'm wanting to get others honest perspective on this.

In so much of the reporting of these incidents we see the term "high-powered assault rifle" used.

If the bad guys in these incidents used a .22LR AR-based platform (like a S&W M&P 15-22) or a 9mm AR, or any other caliber not generally specific to a rifle round, would they still be referred to as "high-powered"? I get that any time the aesthetics of the firearm are of an AR-type they will always demonize it as an evil "assault rifle" so I want to focus on the "high-powered" aspect of the reporting.

I suspect combining "high-powered" and "assault rifle" will always be used, regardless of the caliber of the firearm - just to create more sensationalism.

Just curious what you all think about this.

[eddiememphis]

This subject drives me nuts.

Any black rifle is "high powered" to the uninformed.

A .223 is not a high power rifle. It is a high velocity rifle, for sure. But 1300 ft-lbs of energy is not what I would consider powerful.

More than a 9mm? Sure. But not too high when it comes to rifle calibers.

On an AR-15 platform, a .50 Beowolf runs 2300-2600 ft-lbs. A .450 Bushmaster around 2400.

An AR-10, which looks the same to most, can be calibered for the .338 Lapua, chucking a Hornady 270gr ELD-X at 2800 fps for 4700 ft-lbs of energy. Now THAT's a "high power" rifle.

[buffalobo]

I'm wanting to get others honest perspective on this.

In so much of the reporting of these incidents we see the term "high-powered assault rifle" used.

If the bad guys in these incidents used a .22LR AR-based platform (like a S&W M&P 15-22) or a 9mm AR, or any other caliber not generally specific to a rifle round, would they still be referred to as "high-powered"? I get that any time the aesthetics of the firearm are of an AR-type they will always demonize it as an evil "assault rifle" so I want to focus on the "high-powered" aspect of the reporting.

I suspect combining "high-powered" and "assault rifle" will always be used, regardless of the caliber of the firearm - just to create more sensationalism.

Just curious what you all think about this.

Anything, accurate or not, to create fear of firearms, especially EBR's and sensationalize the reporting is fair game to biased media. If they can demonize those of us who own, collect and shoot these platforms, so much the better.

As has been noted the stories change regularly and quickly because the reporters DGARA about accuracy, only clicks and satisfying their bias.

If you're unarmed, you are a victim.