Rhode Island police fatally shoot suspect in stolen sailboat case

Coverage spectrum

Covered by 3 outlets, mostly right-leaning (67%).

3 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

Image via New York PostHow images are chosen Report this image

Police in Newport, Rhode Island, fatally shot a man aboard a sailboat at Newport Marina, according to ABC News, the New York Post and the Daily Mail. The Post and the Daily Mail say the 40-foot boat, a 1968 Hinckley Bermuda 40 named Pathfinder, was reported stolen from a New Jersey marina, and that police spotted it at Newport Marina on August 26. Body camera footage shows the encounter. The Post and the Daily Mail name the suspect as Brendan Norris, 27, and say an officer was injured during the exchange of gunfire. The outlets say police reported that the suspect was shot dead.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

New to Mantle? It shows who is covering each story across the political spectrum, and highlights loaded words. How to read a storyHide the guide

The coverage spectrum counts the outlets covering a story at each of five points. A short or missing segment means that part of the spectrum is mostly quiet.

Governor Loaded verb“slams”It adds drama to what was said. The governor criticized the lawmakers; “slams” makes it sound like a fight.More neutral: criticizes lawmakers over budget delay

Highlights mark words that carry a judgement. Tap one to see why, and what a neutral writer would say. Here it is “criticizes”.

The 5-point spectrum

Far Left
Voices that strongly advocate for progressive policies and systemic change.
Left
Mainstream liberal perspectives focusing on social equality and regulation.
Center
Sources that prioritize neutral reporting and balanced viewpoints.
Right
Mainstream conservative perspectives focusing on market freedom and tradition.
Far Right
Voices that strongly advocate for conservative values and limited government.

How we measure bias

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

Police shot and killed a suspect in Newport, Rhode Island, in an incident involving a sailboat.
Reported byLeft1Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
Left
ABC News
Right
New York Post, Daily Mail
Body camera footage released by police shows the encounter.
Reported byLeft1Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
Left
ABC News
Right
New York Post, Daily Mail
The 40-foot sailboat was reported stolen in August.
Reported byLeft1Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
Left
ABC News
Right
New York Post, Daily Mail
Police identified the suspect as Brendan Norris, 27, according to statements the outlets attribute to police.
One side only: the rightReported byRight2See the outletsHide the outlets
Right
New York Post, Daily Mail
An officer was injured in the exchange of gunfire, officials said.
One side only: the rightReported byRight2See the outletsHide the outlets
Right
New York Post, Daily Mail

How each side tells it

Compare views

All three outlets report that police shot and killed a suspect in Newport, Rhode Island, over a sailboat reported stolen in August, and that body camera footage shows the encounter. ABC keeps to the footage and the shootout, while both right-side outlets say the suspect fired at officers and call him a bandit.

the left
1 outlet
ABC's headline leads with a video cue and calls the suspect a suspected sailboat thief, sticking to the shootout and the body camera footage without adding judgement.
WATCH: Suspected sailboat thief killed in Rhode Island police shootout
ABC NewsLeftAll left-leaning headlines
the center
No coverage yet
No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.
the right
2 outlets
Both right-side headlines lead with the footage and call the suspect a bandit who fired at officers, with the Daily Mail adding shocking.
Moment RI cops Loaded verb“gun down”The verb implies a deliberate killing before the facts of the shooting are established.More neutral: shootDisagree with this highlight? suspected Dehumanizing label“sailboat bandit”The label casts the suspect as a criminal category before the facts are established.More neutral: suspected boat thiefDisagree with this highlight? who fired at them aboard vessel he stole
New York PostRightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

Left1
dramatic
Center
Has not covered this story.
Right6
Intensegun downsailboat banditdaring escape

In the outlets’ own words

Sensational language
dramaticMore neutral: police shooting
The adjective adds drama to a shooting that the description otherwise reports factually.
Body camera footage shows the dramatic police shootout that left a suspected sailboat thief dead in Newport, Rhode Island.
Used byABC News (Left)
Sensational language
IntenseMore neutral: Body camera footage
The adjective adds drama to footage that the description otherwise reports factually.
Intense body camera footage captured the moment Rhode Island police officers got into a fatal…
Used byNew York Post (Right)
Loaded verb
gun downMore neutral: shoot
The verb implies a deliberate killing before the facts of the shooting are established.
Moment RI cops gun down suspected sailboat bandit who fired at them aboard vessel he stole
Used byNew York Post (Right)
Dehumanizing label
sailboat banditMore neutral: suspected boat thief
The label casts the suspect as a criminal category before the facts are established.
Moment RI cops gun down suspected sailboat bandit who fired at them aboard vessel he stole
Used byNew York Post (Right)

Show 3 more phrasesShow fewer

Sensational language
daring escapeMore neutral: attempt to flee
The phrase adds drama and admiration to an alleged attempt to evade police.
The suspect Brendan Norris saw the authorities and made a daring escape.
Used byDaily Mail (Right)
Sensational language
ShockingMore neutral: Body camera footage shows
The adjective tells readers how to feel about the event rather than reporting it.
Shocking moment luxury boat bandit shoots at officers as he attempted to sail away on stolen…
Used byDaily Mail (Right)
Dehumanizing label
luxury boat banditMore neutral: suspected boat thief
The label casts the suspect as a criminal category before the facts are established.
Shocking moment luxury boat bandit shoots at officers as he attempted to sail away on stolen vessel
Used byDaily Mail (Right)

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

1 outlet

Leads with

body camera footage
suspect killed in shootout
boat stolen in August

Leaves out

officer injured during the exchange

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the headline from the leftHide the headlines

ABC NewsLeft
WATCH: Suspected sailboat thief killed in Rhode Island police shootout
Body camera footage shows the Sensational language“dramatic”The adjective adds drama to a shooting that the description otherwise reports factually.More neutral: police shootingDisagree with this highlight? police shootout that left a suspected sailboat thief dead in Newport, Rhode Island. The 40-foot boat was stolen back in August.
1 day agoRead at ABC News (opens in a new tab)

From the center

0 outlets

No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

From the right

2 outlets

Leads with

suspect fired at officers
stolen luxury boat
body camera drama
officer wounded

See the 2 headlines from the rightHide the headlines

Daily MailRight
Sensational language“Shocking”The adjective tells readers how to feel about the event rather than reporting it.More neutral: Body camera footage showsDisagree with this highlight? moment Dehumanizing label“luxury boat bandit”The label casts the suspect as a criminal category before the facts are established.More neutral: suspected boat thiefDisagree with this highlight? shoots at officers as he attempted to sail away on stolen vessel
The suspect Brendan Norris saw the authorities and made a Sensational language“daring escape”The phrase adds drama and admiration to an alleged attempt to evade police.More neutral: attempt to fleeDisagree with this highlight?. He rushed inside the boat to hide below the deck.
2 hr agoRead at Daily Mail (opens in a new tab)
New York PostRight
Moment RI cops Loaded verb“gun down”The verb implies a deliberate killing before the facts of the shooting are established.More neutral: shootDisagree with this highlight? suspected Dehumanizing label“sailboat bandit”The label casts the suspect as a criminal category before the facts are established.More neutral: suspected boat thiefDisagree with this highlight? who fired at them aboard vessel he stole
Sensational language“Intense”The adjective adds drama to footage that the description otherwise reports factually.More neutral: Body camera footageDisagree with this highlight? body camera footage captured the moment Rhode Island police officers got into a fatal shootout with a suspected sailboat bandit who had fired at them aboard the luxury vessel he stole from a New Jersey marina.
10 hr agoRead at New York Post (opens in a new tab)

The stories you read build My Mix, a private picture of which sides cover the stories you choose, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

Left
First to report
ABC News, Oct 30, 11:29 PM EDT
Center
No report yet
From the outlets Mantle follows
Right
1 day 8 hr later
Its first report, Nov 1, 6:30 AM EST

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order

ABC NewsLeftOct 30, 11:29 PM EDT
New York PostRightNov 1, 6:30 AM EST
Daily MailRightNov 1, 2:22 PM EST

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

Rhode Island police fatally shoot suspect in stolen sailboat case

Coverage spectrum

Key points

Compare views

the left

the center

the right

Language to notice

In the outlets’ own words

Side by side

From the left

WATCH: Suspected sailboat thief killed in Rhode Island police shootout

From the center

From the right

How the coverage built up

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